Bitcoin is falling to fresh lows today: What's causing the crypto decline?

Bitcoin fell below $70,000 on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. It was the first time the cryptocurrency had traded below that level since August. Fast Company reported that the price had been sliding slowly since late September, when it briefly touched more than $86,500.

As of Friday morning, Fast Company said bitcoin had traded as low as $68,070 before recovering to around $69,880. The outlet said bitcoin was down almost 7% over the previous five days and down more than 20% since the start of 2026. Bloomberg reported that the largest digital asset fell as much as 5.4% to $67,628, its lowest level since Aug. 19. Bloomberg put the decline since September at around 18%. The two outlets measured at different times, so their figures differ. Bloomberg also said the slump had extended into a sixth week.

Fast Company described the drop as likely the result of several factors. One is concern about inflation and the prospect of higher interest rates. The outlet said the latest consumer price index report showed prices up 0.4% month over month. It said Friday morning's producer price report showed producer prices up 6.5% from a year earlier, which it described as the highest in several years. With inflation apparently rising, Fast Company said expectations were that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates in December. Yahoo Finance noted that higher rates generally make riskier assets less attractive. That applies particularly to assets such as bitcoin, which do not generate regular income.

A second factor is weakness in technology stocks. Bloomberg said another selloff in chipmakers was weighing on demand for riskier assets. Fast Company said the tech decline had been made worse by a scandal involving Jensen Huang, who it described as now the former Nvidia CEO. Crypto.news separately reported that bitcoin had already slipped below $73,000 on Nov. 12 as Nvidia's leadership crisis unfolded.

Crypto.news also reported that more than $1.2 billion in crypto liquidations accompanied the move. It cited a stronger US dollar, which it said was approaching its highest level since 2025. It also cited ETF outflows. Liquidations happen when leveraged positions are automatically closed after prices move against them. Such closures can add to selling pressure in a falling market.

The decline has also put pressure on companies whose business models depend heavily on bitcoin. Yahoo Finance noted that Strategy pioneered the corporate bitcoin treasury model. Under that model, a company uses proceeds from stock and debt offerings to accumulate large amounts of the cryptocurrency. In its latest quarterly results, Strategy reported holding approximately 848,517 bitcoin as of October, at an average purchase price of roughly $75,446 per bitcoin. Friday morning's trading price was below that figure. Yahoo Finance said Strategy also faces new pressure after an exclusion decision by index provider MSCI. It added that MSCI's decision does not itself require Strategy to sell any of its bitcoin. Other companies affected by the index changes include Japan's Metaplanet, another corporate bitcoin holder, and British uranium investment company Yellow Cake.

On the technical picture, crypto.news said bitcoin has been making lower highs and lower lows, having lost both the $75,000 and $70,000 levels. It described immediate support between $68,500 and $69,000. It said a sustained break below that range could expose the $65,000 level. A recovery above $70,000 would bring resistance between $71,000 and $71,500 into focus. These are analyst observations about price levels, not predictions. Fast Company's subtitle said what happens next depends on multiple factors.

The move shows how closely bitcoin has been trading alongside broader markets. Rate expectations, the dollar and technology equities all featured in this week's coverage. Readers should treat any short-term price figures as snapshots, since they changed within the day. This article is for information only and is not financial, investment or tax advice.

This is a news summary for general information only — not financial advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any asset. Always verify against the original source and do your own research before making a financial decision.