Bitcoin on track for its worst quarter in more than a decade

Bitcoin on track for its worst quarter in more than a decade


Bitcoin is on track to post its worst quarterly loss in more than a decade.

The world’s largest cryptocurrency has lost around 58% of its value in the second quarter of 2022, according to data from CryptoCompare. Bitcoin has fallen from $45,524 at the start of the quarter and was trading at around $18,000 on Thursday, the last day of the three-month period, according to CoinDesk data.

This is the worst quarterly performance for bitcoin since the third quarter of 2011 when it lost 68.1% of its value.

Bitcoin is down 39.8% in June and is on pace for the worst month ever dating back to 2010 when it became available on exchanges, Coin Metrics data shows.

Meanwhile, ether is down 69.3% in the second quarter and is on track for its worst quarter on record, dating back to its inception in 2015, according to Coin Metrics data.

Coin collapse, 3AC liquidation

Cryptocurrency prices have come under intense pressure this quarter amid rampant inflation which has caused central banks around the world to raise interest rates and led to a sell-off in risk assets, such as stocks and digital coins.

The crash in prices has also exposed issues with a several cryptocurrency companies and projects, particularly those in the lending space and firms that are highly leveraged.

A number of high profile issues have come to light during the quarter.

Read more about tech and crypto from CNBC Pro

The latest downturn is being described as a new “crypto winter” and has also impacted growth and hiring at companies. Coinbase and BlockFi announced plans to lay off staff.

How does this cycle compare to the past?

Jacob Joseph, research analyst at CryptoCompare, notes that in the previous boom and bust cycle, bitcoin fell from a peak of $19,871 in the fourth quarter of 2017 to a low of $3,170 in the fourth quarter of 2018, suffering a drawdown of 8%.

Joseph said a similar fall of 82.2% was seen in 2014 when bitcoin fell from a high of $1,239 in the fourth quarter of 2013 to a low of $221 in the second quarter of 2015.

“This suggests that we could be in for a further drawdown period if the current poor macroeconomic conditions continue to persist,” Joseph told CNBC.

Other investors have expressed bearishness. In May, Guggenheim Chief Investment Officer Scott Minerd, said bitcoin could drop to $8,000. At the time, the cryptocurrency was trading at around $30,000, representing a 70% fall.

—CNBC’s Gina Francolla contributed to this article.



Source

China’s grueling ‘996’ work culture is being debated by European startups — 7 founders and VCs on why they are resisting
World

China’s grueling ‘996’ work culture is being debated by European startups — 7 founders and VCs on why they are resisting

European startup founders are being pressured to embrace China’s toxic “996” work culture on LinkedIn and they’re pushing back. D3sign | Moment | Getty Images The European startup scene was recently shaken by a LinkedIn debate with some venture capitalists applying pressure on founders to embrace a culture of overwork to compete on a global […]

Read More
Coco Gauff handles bad memories and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to earn first French Open title
World

Coco Gauff handles bad memories and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to earn first French Open title

Drawing on the painful memory of her defeat three years ago in the French Open final gave Coco Gauff just the motivation she needed to win the clay-court major for the first time. The 21-year-old American defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday for her second Grand Slam title, two years after […]

Read More
Longevity doctor: ‘Every single day I try to get at least 30 to 40 grams of fiber in my diet’—here’s how
World

Longevity doctor: ‘Every single day I try to get at least 30 to 40 grams of fiber in my diet’—here’s how

Poonam Desai is an ER doctor with two decades of experience who studied and recommended daily practices for a long life to her patients well before it became her main focus.  In 2017, she officially started practicing longevity medicine, teaching patients the tools they need to structure their routines with living long and staying healthy in […]

Read More