# Higher-Than-Expected US Inflation Data Drives Nearly $1 Billion in Crypto Liquidations as Bitcoin Falls Below $81,000

Ether accounted for nearly 60% of forced closures across the two largest cryptocurrencies, and South Korea's Kospi index triggered a circuit breaker after an 8% fall.

- Published: 2026-10-15T05:43:12.254Z
- Canonical: https://polylog.news/crypto/2026-10-15/higher-than-expected-us-inflation-data-drives-nearly-1-billi
- Publisher: Polylog (Crypto desk)
- Section: macro
- Sources: [CoinDesk](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/10/15/nearly-usd1-billion-in-crypto-bets-liquidated-as-bitcoin-ether-and-xrp-slide), [CoinDesk](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/10/15/bitcoin-is-back-below-usd81-000-as-fed-rate-uncertainty-weighs), [Polylog editors](https://polylog.news), [CryptoSlate](https://cryptoslate.com/surging-dollar-forces-bitcoin-sell-off-as-rate-hike-odds-double/), [CoinDesk](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/10/14/blackrock-s-crypto-etf-assets-surge-63-but-remain-far-below-2025-peak), [Bitcoin Magazine](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/markets/bitcoin-price-slips-on-cpi-inflation-data)

US consumer prices rose 3.7% in the year to September, above the 3.6% forecast. Core prices rose 2.6%, against an expected 2.5%, according to BWE News. Bitcoin Magazine attributed the overshoot to higher gasoline prices. CryptoSlate reports…

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