Bitcoin is enduring its worst start to a calendar year on record. Fifty days into 2026, the digital asset has fallen 23% year-to-date, with a 10% drop in January followed by a 15% decline in February. This marks the first time bitcoin has logged back-to-back monthly losses in January and February. Historically, while January has seen double-digit drops, February typically followed with positive returns. If current trends hold, this would also represent bitcoin's weakest consecutive monthly performance since 2022. The current drawdown is significant, exceeding the average benchmark used by traders to gauge cyclical performance.
This weakness follows a 17% decline in 2025, a post-election year that historically sees stronger performance. Bitcoin's recent underperformance is therefore particularly notable.
