Bitcoin may be heading towards its worst first quarter in eight years, with a recorded drop of 22.3% since the year’s start. Trading initially at around $87,700, it has fallen by nearly $20,000, hitting lows of approximately $68,000, potentially mirroring the significant 50% decline witnessed during the 2018 bear market, per reports from CoinGlass.

Over the past thirteen first quarters, Bitcoin has suffered losses in seven instances, notably in 2025 with an 11.8% loss, in 2020 with a 10.8% drop, and especially in 2018 when it plummeted 49.7% within three months.

“The first quarter of the year is known for its volatile nature,” observed analyst Daan Trades Crypto on Sunday. Translation: Daan Trades Crypto stated that the first quarter is often characterized by high volatility.

Despite potential short-term pressures tied to ongoing economic uncertainties, Nick Ruck from LVRG Research noted that this downward trend reflects a typical correction rather than a significant change in the asset’s long-term outlook. Ruck emphasized that Bitcoin historically shows resilience, often recovering significantly as institutional adoption and market cycles evolve.

Currently, Bitcoin is facing its fifth consecutive week of losses, experiencing a 2.3% dip over the previous day, settling at $68,670 at the time of reporting according to CoinGecko.

Is this the first-ever back-to-back loss in January and February?

Historically, Bitcoin has recorded only two consecutive first-quarter losses during the bearish years of 2018 and 2022. In contrast, Ether has logged declines in three out of the last nine first quarters, with current results showing 34.3% losses to date. Notably, Bitcoin has already declined by 10.2% in January and continues to trail by 13.4% this month, necessitating a recovery to $80,000 to avoid another red month.

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This article examines Bitcoin’s current trends while weighing it against historical data to provide a broader perspective on its potential future movements.