Bitcoin’s Drop From October 2025 Peak Exceeds 50% In 2026

Bitcoin (BTC) has fallen more than 50% from its October 2025 peak after dropping below $58,000 in 2026, a steeper measure than its combined calendar-year losses.

Bitcoin lost 6.34% in 2025 and was down 15.65% in 2026 through Nov. 10. Compounded, the declines amount to about 21%. The 2026 calendar-year result is not final: Bitcoin opened the year near $87,500, and a Dec. 31 close below that level would produce its first consecutive annual losses in its 18-year history.

The annual declines are smaller than Bitcoin’s losses in 2018 and 2022, when it fell 73.56% and 64.27%, respectively. Both years were followed by gains: Bitcoin rose about 92% in 2019 and more than 155% in 2023.

A peak-to-trough measure covers a different span than calendar-year returns. Bitcoin reached about $126,000 in October 2025 before falling below $58,000 during 2026, a drop of more than half from the peak. Calendar-year returns instead compare prices at the start and end of each year, so they show a smaller combined decline across 2025 and 2026.

The prospect of two straight down years also figures in questions about Bitcoin’s four-year cycle. Bitcoin’s 2026 calendar-year result will be determined by its level at year-end.