Polkadot’s DOT Drops 3% to $1.83 as Crypto Markets Reverse Lower

Polkadot’s DOT token slipped around 3% to trade near $1.83, mirroring a broader pullback across the crypto market. The decline comes as traders turn cautious after a brief risk-on phase faded, with Bitcoin and Ethereum also losing momentum and dragging altcoins lower.

For DOT specifically, the move looks less like project-specific weakness and more like market-wide risk reduction. Volumes have thinned, and traders appear unwilling to aggressively bid up altcoins while macro uncertainty — from interest-rate expectations to year-end positioning — remains high. When liquidity dries up, mid-cap tokens like DOT often feel the pressure first.

Polkadot’s fundamentals haven’t materially changed in the short term. The network continues to focus on interoperability, parachain development, and long-term ecosystem growth. However, price action suggests investors are prioritizing capital preservation over long-dated narratives right now.

Technically, the $1.80–$1.75 zone is emerging as an important support area. A sustained break below could invite further downside, while holding this level may keep DOT range-bound until broader market sentiment improves.

For long-term holders, this dip looks like noise within a weak market environment, not a breakdown of Polkadot’s core thesis. In the near term, though, DOT’s direction will likely depend less on its own news — and more on whether the wider crypto market can stabilize and regain confidence.