The LAB price just reminded the market why low-float assets and leveraged traders are a dangerous combination. After sweeping liquidity below the critical $7.49 support and plunging as low as $5.50, the token suddenly reversed course and ripped more than 150% higher in a single day.
Crypto traders love calling tops. Markets love proving them wrong.
What looked like a breakdown quickly turned into a textbook liquidity grab followed by an aggressive squeeze higher.
Derivatives Market Suddenly Wakes Up Fast
The real story wasn’t spot demand alone. Derivatives activity exploded alongside the rally, with derivatives trading volume surging 136% to $3.89 billion. Meanwhile, open interest climbed 133% to $316 million, showing traders weren’t just watching the move from the sidelines, because they were piling into it with leverage.
That’s usually where things get interesting. A market loaded with leverage rarely moves politely. It hunts positioning first and asks questions later.
Short Sellers Become Exit Liquidity
The squeeze arrived quickly. Total liquidations reached $5.84 million during the move, and the overwhelming majority came from bearish traders. Data shows $4.83 million in short positions were wiped out as the rally accelerated.
Short squeezes tend to feed on themselves. Rising prices force short covering, short covering creates additional buying pressure, and suddenly a move that looked impossible a few hours earlier becomes the only thing anyone is talking about.
Crypto has seen this movie before. But, it still sells tickets every time.
Curiosity Marketing Meets Momentum Trading
Part of the demand spike appears linked to the project’s aggressive promotion of its trading application following launch.
The campaign today was not a big one but centered around just the simple message: “99% of traders quit right before checking LAB Mobile one more time.”
It wasn’t exactly a technical breakthrough or a protocol upgrade. But curiosity, momentum, and leverage have built rallies before.
For the LAB price, that combination proved powerful enough to turn panic selling below $7.49 into one of the market’s most dramatic reversals of the day.