The shares of Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) plunged 9.24% during the Monday pre-market trading session as Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) tumbled 7% amid President Donald Trump‘s tariff woes.
What Happened: Strategy, one of the largest corporate holders of the cryptocurrency, felt the brunt after Bitcoin hit a low of $77,097.74 before slightly recovering to $78,000 on Sunday. Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) experienced a more severe fall, dipping below $1,600 for the first time since October 2023.
The trading volume for Bitcoin and Ethereum surged by 179% and 272%, respectively, indicating a high selling pressure. This drop followed a period of relative stability in cryptocurrency prices amidst intense stock market volatility on Friday.
Although Bitcoin initially demonstrated resilience, it is now mirroring the growing unease in the broader market. According to data from CoinGlass, in the past 24 hours, the crypto market experienced $570 million in liquidations, with long positions making up $493 million of the total. Bitcoin alone was responsible for more than $121 million of these liquidations.
As Bitcoin fell below the $80,000 threshold, prominent economist and Bitcoin skeptic Peter Schiff questioned Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor on whether he could stop the cryptocurrency from dropping further below his average purchase price of $68,000 by borrowing more funds to make large-scale purchases.
At present, Strategy owns 528,185 BTC on its balance sheet
Why It Matters: Earlier this month, investment banking firm Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co. predicted that Strategy’s aggressive bitcoin purchases may soon face a roadblock as funding options become limited. The firm also downgraded MSTR stock to ‘Sell’ after initiating coverage at ‘Neutral’ two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, analyst Ali Martinez has anticipated a significant price movement for Bitcoin, while economic analyst Jesse Colombo identified $77,500 as a “critical support level” for the cryptocurrency, warning of a sharp plunge if this level fails.
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