Bitcoin tumbled by the most in two weeks, falling below $19,000.
The price drop came after a 10-day stretch during which bitcoin traded right around the $20,000 mark.
The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization had struggled to overcome what appeared to be price resistance at $21,000.
The bitcoin price fell as low as $18,680, its lowest point since June 30. As of 5:29 p.m. ET, the cryptocurrency was trading around $18,991, down 3.7% over the past 24 hours, according to the CoinDesk Bitcoin Price Index.
“Each failed attempt increased the likelihood of a test of the bottom of the price range” near $18,000, Joe DiPasquale, CEO of crypto hedge fund manager BitBull Capital, told CoinDesk via a text message.
The S&P 500 slipped 0.41% Tuesday as traders worried the Federal Reserve could stay aggressive in its campaign to tamp down inflation in the U.S.
Bitcoin often trades down when there’s heightened speculation of more hawkish monetary policy.
“From a technical perspective, the price remains in line with our projections, and we would be looking to accumulate between here and $15,000,” DiPasquale said.