# Bitcoin on Track for 43.5% Gain in Second-Strongest Q3

By Enna Lee

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/investing/24495
Published: 2026-09-27T00:15:19.000Z
Updated: 2026-09-27T00:15:19.000Z
Section: Investing

> Bitcoin and Ether have posted provisional quarterly gains of 43.5% and 71.02%, respectively, as spot activity and ETF buying increased through Sept. 26.

Bitcoin (BTC) is on track for a 43.5% third-quarter gain through Sept. 26, which would rank as its second-strongest Q3 performance, while Ether (ETH) has posted its best third-quarter performance on record.

BTC rose from roughly $58,500 at the start of the quarter to approximately $84,000 by Sept. 26. The gain trails only Bitcoin’s approximately 80.4% increase in the third quarter of 2017.

Ether gained 71.02% over the same period, exceeding its previous Q3 record of about 66.5% set in 2025.

The figures remain provisional because the quarter ends Sept. 30. The final returns and rankings could change before the period closes.

Market activity strengthened alongside the price gains. Bitcoin spot trading volume had more than doubled from its August low by Sept. 22, while ETF buying increased. Profit-taking remained below levels recorded during the 2024 and 2025 market tops.

Bitcoin was trading near a long-term-holder supply zone between $84,000 and $85,000. The next major mean market-value-to-realized-value resistance stood near $96,700, a level discussed in earlier analysis.

Market-value-to-realized-value, or MVRV, compares the market value of Bitcoin with the aggregate cost basis of circulating coins. The mean MVRV level indicates where average unrealized gains move closer to a longer-term norm.

The current quarterly advance has been accompanied by relatively limited profit-taking and stronger spot-market activity. Bitcoin’s performance will be finalized when the third quarter ends Sept. 30.

## Links in this article

- [earlier analysis](https://www.tokenpost.com/news/investing/24226)