Overall, Q4 2025 broke a long-standing pattern for the crypto market.
Bitcoin has often rallied at the end of the year. In past years, Q4 delivered strong gains and helped set the tone for the new year. But 2025 followed a very different path.
According to Coinglass, Bitcoin posted a return of -23.07% in Q4 2025. This is far below its historical Q4 average return of 77.07%. The median return for Q4 is also strong at 47.73%, which makes the 2025 result stand out even more.
This performance ranks as the second-worst Q4 in Bitcoin history. The only worse fourth quarter happened in 2018, when Bitcoin dropped -42.16% during a deep bear market.
Instead of a year-end rally, Bitcoin faced steady selling pressure. Prices struggled to hold key levels, and confidence stayed weak throughout the quarter.
Ethereum followed a similar trend. CoinGlass data shows that ETH fell by -28.28% in Q4 2025. This makes it the fourth-worst Q4 performance since Ethereum’s inception.
Like Bitcoin, Ethereum usually performs well in the last quarter of the year. The sharp drop in 2025 came as a surprise to many traders, who had expected a recovery or at least stable prices.
Overall, Q4 2025 broke a long-standing pattern for the crypto market. Instead of strong gains, investors saw deep losses. That quarter will likely be remembered as a rare and painful period for both BTC and ETH.
Read more: Bitcoin Price Breakout: Can $BTC Reach $100K in January?
The information provided by Altcoin Buzz is not financial advice. It is intended solely for educational, entertainment, and informational purposes. Any opinions or strategies shared are those of the writer/reviewers, and their risk tolerance may differ from yours. We are not liable for any losses you may incur from investments related to the information given. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are high-risk assets; therefore, conduct thorough due diligence. Copyright Altcoin Buzz Pte Ltd.
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