Bitcoin Sees Worst Quarter In Over A Decade, Crypto Market Still Bearish

Jim Haastrup
3 Min Read

The recent price drop for Bitcoin has been especially steep, with its quarterly returns hitting their lowest value in over ten years. The crypto market as a whole is also doing quite badly right now – it’s just another sign that things are getting pretty bearish out there.

Bitcoin was down 56% during the second quarter of 2022. The price dipped below crucial support and is currently struggling to stay above $20,000. The flagship crypto lost its value by 1.46% during the first quarter of 2022 after enjoying a highly profitable end to last year with returns of 168.78%.

In Bitcoin’s brief history, other notable quarterly losses occurred during 2021 Q2 at 40.37% and 2018 Q1 at 49.89%. Bitcoin’s current performance is a shadow of previously profitable quarters that hit a record 210.13% in the fourth quarter of 2017. 

Bitcoin’s quarterly returns.
Bitcoin’s quarterly returns. Source: Skew 

Bitcoin Struggles Around $20,000

The price of Bitcoin fell during the second quarter, dropping from about $45,000 at its beginning to slightly above $19,000. The crypto market has been on quite the losing streak, with $2 trillion worth of capital flowing out.

As of the time of writing, bitcoin is trading at $19,400 and had made gains of about 2% in the last 24 hours.

A few experts have shared their predictions about where things are headed next. According to Will Clemente: 

“Bitcoin’s Q2 quarterly candle is in the books as the worst in its history. What a beauty.”

Triggers of Bitcoin correction

The Federal Reserve has been pushing for high-interest rates, which is unfavorable news for those invested in cryptocurrencies. Notably, Bitcoin has suffered alongside risky assets like stocks as fears of a recession spread. Although the equities also feel pressure from this trend and show increased correlation with one another for now.

Crypto-related businesses are facing a difficult time as the economic period results in most companies adjusting their business models, with Coinbase resorting to layoffs and hiring freezes.

The recent Terra (LUNA) ecosystem collapse accelerated Bitcoin’s losses. The controversy triggered a sell-off of Bitcoin that has now caused it to lose key support at $30,000. Analysts project the correction might slide further near $10,000. 

Analysts are split on whether or not the current bear market is bottoming out, but there’s a chance that we could see prices go up in the coming weeks.

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Jim Haastrup is a blockchain and technical writer at Voice of Crypto, where he covers cryptocurrency, NFTs, DeFi, GameFi, and the Metaverse. Before joining Voice of Crypto in 2022, he spent over three years as a senior technical writer across multiple blockchain projects, including Hashtoken, Naxar, and Bino, where he specialized in whitepapers, technical documentation, and content strategy for decentralized finance applications. Jim began his career as a junior technical writer at RM in Canada before advancing to lead technical writing roles at Bulltoken, a cryptocurrency crowdfunding platform in Norway. Throughout his career, he has authored more than 800 articles and collaborated with development teams to translate complex blockchain protocols into accessible content for diverse audiences including developers, investors, and crypto enthusiasts. His work spans ICO/STO/IDO research and analysis, cryptocurrency market trend forecasting, and social media management for crypto brands. Jim has helped numerous startups build their online presence through strategic content marketing, technical whitepapers, and pitch deck development. Jim graduated from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Nigeria with a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering in 2021. Disclosure: No significant crypto holdings.