Bitcoin posts 22% drop in Q1, weakest since 2018

Bitcoin fell 22% in Q1 2026 and closed at $68,200. It was the weakest opening quarter since 2018, per Coinglass data.

Bitcoin started near $87,000 and nearly hit $95,000. It then dropped to $60,000 on February 6, per Coinglass.

A brief rebound to ~$70,000 faded. Price touched ~$63,000 into quarter-end, per Coinglass.

War headlines weighed on risk. Al Jazeera’s live updates tracked the MidEast escalation through March.

Early Q2 stayed shaky. After President Trump warned of further action, Bitcoin fell 3% in 24 hours to $66,700, per Al Jazeera. Ethereum, BNB, and XRP slipped 3–4%.

First-quarter track record, per Coinglass:
- 2018 down nearly 50%
- 2019 up 8%
- 2020 down 10%
- 2021 up over 100%
- 2022 down 1.40%
- 2023 up 70%
- 2024 up 65%
- 2025 down 11%

April seasonality stands out. Average +11.90% and median +5%, per Coinglass.