Key Takeaways
- In Q1 2026, Bitcoin declined by 23.21%, marking its third-worst first-quarter performance since 2013.
- Historical data shows Bitcoin’s average Q1 return is 45.90%, yet the median is -2.26%, indicating many quarters are flat or negative.
- The 2026 decline follows a 23.07% drop in Q4 2025, marking consecutive quarterly losses, previously seen in 2022.
- Ethereum also faced losses in Q1 2026, declining by 32.17%, its third-worst first quarter since 2016.
- Both Bitcoin and Ethereum’s Q1 returns reflect significant declines compared to their historical averages.
The Bitcoin Q1 return for 2026 declined by 23.21%. This marks the third-worst first-quarter performance since 2013. Data from CoinGlass confirms the scale of the drop. Only Q1 2018 and Q1 2014 recorded larger percentage losses.
In Q1 2018, Bitcoin fell 49.7%. In Q1 2014, it declined 37.42%. The 2026 Bitcoin Q1 return ranks behind those two periods.
Historical Comparison of Bitcoin Q1 Return Data
Historical records show wide variation in Bitcoin Q1 return results. Since 2013, some first quarters delivered strong gains. In 2013, Bitcoin surged 539.96% in Q1. In 2021, it gained 103.17%.
The long-term average Bitcoin Q1 return stands at 45.90%. However, the median return is -2.26%. This indicates that most first quarters are relatively flat or slightly negative. The 2026 decline of 23.21% is significantly below the historical median.
Bitcoin Q1 Return Compared With Recent Quarters
The 2026 Bitcoin Q1 return follows a 23.07% decline in Q4 2025. This marks consecutive quarterly losses. The previous instance of back-to-back quarterly declines occurred in 2022. During that year, Bitcoin recorded losses in all four quarters.
The Q1 2026 drop occurred after Bitcoin reached all-time high closing prices in late 2025. Market data confirms the reversal in early 2026.
Bitcoin Q1 Return and Ethereum Performance
Ethereum also recorded losses during the same period. Ethereum declined 32.17% in Q1 2026. This represents its third-worst first quarter since 2016. Ethereum’s historical average Q1 return is 66.45%. Its median Q1 return is 4.37%.
The Bitcoin Q1 return and Ethereum performance both reflect significant first-quarter declines compared to historical averages.
Source: https://crypto.news/bitcoin-posts-third-worst-q1-return-since-2013/
