On Tuesday, Bitcoin slid under $73,000 to a 2026 low of $72,945 as U.S. stocks fell ahead of a heavy earnings calendar. Year-to-date, BTC is down 15% and sits nearly 45% beneath its $126,267 record, after bulls failed to defend $80,000. Tech weakness and equity volatility added pressure while leverage-driven selling intensified across crypto markets.

Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz said in a Bloomberg interview he does not think "quantum computing fears" explain Bitcoin's drop below $74,000, the first break since November 2024. He attributed the move to a "seller's virus" and noted prices are set at the margin, with more sellers than buyers.

According to CryptoSlate data, Bitcoin trades near $78,000, more than 38% below October's peak above $126,000, while f2pool's Feb. 2 dashboard shows miner revenue around $0.034 per TH/day at roughly 890 EH/s. With hashrate down about 12% since last November and some operators redirecting infrastructure to AI, margins for many rigs have compressed to historical floors.

At 19:50, Bitcoin fell to $72,762, its lowest level since the 2024 US presidential election, extending a slide of over 40% from the October peak. Tuesday's decline broke the 2025 low of $74,424.95. Retail redemptions intensified as long‑term holders sold billions and ETFs saw November outflows, even with ongoing institutional participation.

On 3 February 2026, Bitcoin traded under $74,000 after the U.S. House approved a tight 217–215 procedural vote tied to a Senate-supported funding bill aimed at reopening the federal government. The total crypto market cap fell to about $2.5 trillion, with Bitcoin down roughly 6% in 24 hours and nearly 15% over the week as broader macro and political uncertainty kept risk appetite muted.

Bitcoin sank about 15% between January 28 and 31, then dropped roughly 10% on Saturday, forcing over $2 billion in long liquidations. On-chain and market-structure signals point to risks of a move toward the 200-week average near $58,000 and the realized price around $56,000. One analyst now sees a potential cycle bottom in the $54,000–$44,000 range.

VistaShares launched BTYB on the New York Stock Exchange, an actively managed ETF that primarily invests in US Treasurys while employing options to provide weekly income and Bitcoin-linked exposure. The fund targets approximately 80% in Treasurys and about 20% tied to BTC via a synthetic covered-call strategy.

Newly unsealed US Justice Department emails indicate Jeffrey Epstein met then NYDFS superintendent Ben Lawsky in 2014 as New York drafted the BitLicense, finalized in 2015. The records mention Epstein floated a pro Bitcoin tax idea but show no evidence he shaped the final rule. The disclosures arrive as part of the wider Epstein Files release in late 2025 and early 2026.