Are Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP Prices Falling Today Because of Manipulation?

Bitcoin experienced an intense intraday pump-and-dump where it surged ~$1,400 in 60 minutes to reclaim $78,000 (adding ~$30bn market cap) and triggered ~$25m in short liquidations, then reversed within 15 minutes wiping out the gains and liquidating another ~$15m in longs — a 75-minute episode that left net price change near zero. The piece frames the move as a recurring “stop hunt” tied to a highly leveraged derivatives market rather than genuine price discovery; 24‑hour liquidations reached ~$70m (up 51.4% vs. prior period). Broader macro forces and risk‑asset correlation with the US SP 500 (74% correlation) are cited as additional drivers, while an institutional buyer, BitMine, accumulated 111,942 ETH in a week (holding 5,390,404 ETH, ~4.47% of supply). Key technical/support levels noted: total crypto market cap at $2.53tn (support), 200‑day MA near $2.72tn, and Bitcoin needing to hold $77,000 to keep near‑term structure intact. Market impact: leverage-driven volatility is amplifying macro weakness and causing outsized liquidations that transfer wealth from retail to large counterparties.