Bitcoin, Ethereum ( $2,429.99 ) to end Q1 in the red, ‘vertical swing up’ unlikely

http://jaberwalk.victoryc.hop.clickbank.net/

Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) and Ethereum ( $2,429.99 ) are poised to suffer their worst first quarter in years unless they can pull off a huge rally in the next few days.

Ether (ETH) has dropped 37.98% so far over the first quarter of 2025, its worst Q1 decline since 2018, when it plunged 46.61%, according to CoinGlass data. Meanwhile, Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) (BTC) is down 6.49% so far over the quarter, which is slated to end on March 31 — marking its worst Q1 performance since 2020, when it saw a 10.83% decline. 

Crypto market unlikely to flash green before end quarter

Swyftx lead analyst Pav Hundal told Cointelegraph that a “vertical swing up into the end of the quarter looks unlikely.” 

Cryptocurrencies, Markets

Ether has posted an average return of 78.23% in the first quarter of every year since 2017. Source: CoinGlass

Hundal said that the crypto market will be “flying a little blind” until the middle of April, when the broader market should have better clarity on US President Donald Trump’s tariff plans.

“The economic data shows a global economy in decent shape,” he said. 

Some analysts say it may only be a matter of weeks after that before Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) sees its next significant rally.

Crypto commentator Colin Talks Crypto said in a March 19 X post that Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) may begin its “next major blast-off” around April 30. Meanwhile, Swan Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) CEO Cory Klippsten said earlier this month that there’s more than a 50% chance Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) will hit all-time highs before the end of June.

The first quarter has historically been Ether’s strongest and Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) ’s second-best. Since 2017, Ether has averaged a 78.23% gain in Q1, while Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) has seen an average return of 51.62% since 2013.

At the time of publication, Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) is trading at $87,558, while Ether is trading at $2,059, up 5.08% and 5.88% over the past 24 hours, respectively.

Meanwhile, the ETH/BTC ratio — showing Ether’s relative strength to Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) — is at its lowest point since May 2020, sitting at 0.2348, according to TradingView data.

Cryptocurrencies, Markets

The ETH/BTC ratio is sitting at 0.02348 at the time of publication. Source: TradingView

The rest of the crypto market has followed the downtrend of the two largest cryptocurrencies by market cap, with the entire crypto market capitalization declining 11.65% since Jan. 1, sitting at $2.88 trillion at the time of publication, according to CoinMarketCap data.

Related: Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) price has 75% chance of hitting new highs in 2025 — Analyst

While many in the crypto industry were highly optimistic going into Q1 2025 following a strong end to 2024 after Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) tapped $100,000 for the first time after Trump’s November election win, unexpected macroeconomic conditions were largely to blame for the crypto market’s downturn at the beginning of February.

After Bitcoin ( $77,477.00 ) retraced below $100,000 in February, amid Trump’s imposed tariffs and uncertainty around the future of the US federal interest rate, the broader market sentiment turned fearful. The sentiment-tracking Crypto Fear & Greed Index was reading a “Neutral” score of 47 as of March 26.

Magazine: What are native rollups? Full guide to Ethereum ( $2,429.99 ) ’s latest innovation

This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.