Bitcoin Storms Back Above $80,000 as ETF Selling Cools and $378 Million in Shorts Liquidate in an Hour

Bitcoin is back above $80,000. After dipping to about $75,700 as United States midterm results rolled in, the world's largest cryptocurrency staged a sharp intraday rebound on November 4, 2026, climbing through $78,000 in early European trading and then pushing past $80,000 as a wave of forced short liquidations accelerated the move. The bounce matters because it arrived against a very different fund-flow backdrop than the selling that drove Bitcoin to its six-week low: the pace of withdrawals from United States spot Bitcoin ETFs has collapsed in just three ssessions. Thenumbers tell the story of a market turning. United States spot Bitcoin ETFs lost $643.3 million on Friday, October 30, then $398.6 million on Monday, November 2, and only $115.6 million on Tuesday, November 3, according to flow data reported by news.bitcoin.com and CoinDesk coverage of the same figures. That three-session total of roughly $1.16 billion is the heaviest stretch of ETF selling since late June, yet the direction of travel is unmistakable: Tuesday's outflow was more than 80% smaller than Friday's. BlackRock's IBIT still led Tuesday's redemptions with about $95 million, while Grayscale's Bitcoin Mini Trust shed $52.6 million — but Bitwise's BITB pulled in $21.9 million, Fidelity's FBTC added $6.8 million and Morgan Stanley's MSBT brought in $3.3 million, a sign that not every large holder was heading for the exit. THE SHORT SQUEEZE THAT LIT THE FUSE The rebound turned violent once Bitcoin cleared $80,000. Data from CoinGlass, reported on November 4, showed $378.09 million in short positions liquidated within a single hour — about 81% of all forced closures in that window — with total liquidations in the hour reaching $466.33 million including $88.24 million in longs. Bitcoin traded around $80,470 at the peak of that burst, roughly 4.1% higher over 24 hours, while Ethereum rose about 6.1% to approximately $2,428. Short squeezes do not change fundamentals, but they do reveal positioning: too many traders had bet on a deeper breakdown below the midterm dip, and the market punished that crowding all at once. Key figures: Bitcoin's November 4 range: about $75,700 to above $80,000. Three-session ETF outflows: about $1.16 billion (Oct 30, Nov 2, Nov 3). Tuesday's outflow alone: $115.6 million, down from $643.3 million on Friday. One-hour short liquidations: $378.09 million (81% of forced closures). Ether ETF outflows: $85.35 million on Tuesday, a seventh straight session. WHY THE ETF SLOWDOWN MATTERS MORE THAN THE PRICE SPIKE A single-day spike can fade, but the ETF flow trend is the deeper signal. Three straight sessions of outflows is still selling pressure, and Ether ETFs have now lost money for seven straight sessions. Yet the speed of the deceleration — from $643 million to $116 million in three sessions — suggests the heaviest institutional de-risking around the midterm vote and the Binance hack aftermath may be passing. Trading value in the Bitcoin ETFs fell to $1.46 billion on Tuesday, with net assets closing at $99.16 billion, a reminder that the products remain enormous even after a bruising week. Context helps too. Bitcoin traded at about $78,077 in the early hours of November 4, still roughly 38% below its $126,156 all-time high, according to Coinjuice's daily brief. The midterm result itself — Democrats taking control of both chambers of Congress, as reported by the Associated Press — now means crypto legislation in Washington will need Democratic votes, a political reset the market is still pricing. And the next scheduled macro test is close: the October United States employment report lands on Friday, November 6, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, with the Federal Reserve's next decision meeting set for December 8-9. WHAT TO WATCH NEXT Three levels frame the days ahead. First, whether Bitcoin can hold above $80,000 on a daily close rather than an intraday spike — the $79,500 to $80,000 zone is now the line between a squeeze and a genuine recovery. Second, whether ETF flows turn positive again; a single inflow day would confirm that Tuesday's slowdown was capitulation ending, not pausing. Third, Friday's payrolls report, which could either extend the relief rally or hand the bears their next excuse. Traders should also remember the other side of the squeeze: liquidations cut both ways, and a market that can rise 4% on forced buying can fall just as fast when leverage rebuilds. For long-term holders, the lesson of this week is less about any single price print and more about structure. ETF flows, not headlines, set the tone for Bitcoin's institutional era — and this week, for the first time since Friday, those flows finally started to cool. Follow the latest market coverage on the Zimbuck News page (https://zimbuck.com/pages/zimbucknews) and join the discussion in the Zimbuck Market News group (https://zimbuck.com/groups/zimbuckmarketnews). For the previous chapter of this rebound, see our report Bitcoin Rebounds Above $78,000 After Tuesday's $75,736 Low as ETF Outflows Ease (https://zimbuck.com/blogs/1138/Bitcoin-Rebounds-Above-$78,000-After-Tuesday-s-$75,736-Low-as-ETF-Outflows-Ease). External source: https://news.bitcoin.com/bitcoin-etf/bitcoin-price-holds-78k-as-etf-outflows-slow-to-116m/ FAQ Why did Bitcoin jump above $80,000 on November 4? A combination of cooling ETF outflows and a short squeeze: as Bitcoin recovered from its $75,700 midterm dip, forced liquidations of $378 million in shorts within one hour accelerated the move through $80,000. Are Bitcoin ETFs still seeing outflows? Yes, but at a much slower pace. Tuesday's $115.6 million outflow was the third straight session of selling, yet it was more than 80% smaller than Friday's $643.3 million exit. What comes next for Bitcoin this week? Friday's October United States employment report is the next big catalyst, followed by the Federal Reserve's December 8-9 meeting. Holding above $80,000 on a daily close is the key technical test. This article is market news and general information only, not financial advice. Crypto prices are volatile — always do your own research before making any investment decision, and join the conversation on Zimbuck (https://zimbuck.com), the finance social platform for traders and investors.