Bitcoin holders hit the sell button hard as the price slid toward $80,000. According to Glassnode, that kind of capitulation has recently been a decent sign that the worst is over, at least for now.
The on-chain analytics firm said on October 16, 2026 that the latest wave of loss-selling could signal a local bottom if past patterns repeat.
What Glassnode saw on-chain
The loss-selling episode played out on October 15, 2026, as Bitcoin dipped near the $80,000 mark. Glassnode framed the activity as potential capitulation, the moment when holders throw in the towel and sell below what they paid.
The firm pointed to similar episodes in early and mid-August and again in September 2026. In each case, a burst of selling at a loss was followed by a local bottom.
Price action has cooperated so far. Bitcoin traded around $82,400 on October 15 and around $82,700 on October 16, after briefly slipping below $80,000 earlier in the month.
The levels traders are watching
Glassnode flagged several price zones that matter. The first is the cost basis for US spot Bitcoin ETF holders, near $81,500.
Beneath it sits the True Market Mean, another cost-basis level that Glassnode places at roughly $77,500 to $78,000.
On the upside, the firm sees continued resistance around $88,000.
Long-term holder realized losses have fallen about 85% from their peak on August 12, 2026, and that decline has come alongside a notable rise in profit-taking.
More than four coins are currently being spent at a profit for every one moved at a loss.
ETF flows complicate the picture
US spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in about $3 billion in inflows between September 21 and October 6, 2026.
Since October 7, those funds have recorded roughly $760 million in outflows.
What this means for Bitcoin’s next move
The ETF cost basis near $81,500 is the first line to watch. With Bitcoin hovering only modestly above it, a sustained break lower would leave ETF holders underwater on average and bring the $77,500 to $78,000 zone into focus.
A push through $88,000 would mean the market has absorbed the profit-taking that has kept a lid on prices there, though Glassnode’s framing remains explicitly conditional on history rhyming.
The four-to-one ratio of profitable to unprofitable spending is a supportive backdrop. The ETF outflows are the counterweight, and how long they last may decide whether this dip becomes a floor or a trapdoor.
Disclosure: This article was edited by Vivian Nguyen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.