Bitcoin, the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency, drove the moves of the broader cryptocurrency market in the first half of 2025, encountering historic highs and sharp corrections. While some investments were successful, others left a large hole in investors’ portfolios.
What Happened: Spurred by the apex coin’s January peak, the total cryptocurrency market capitalization hit $3.64 trillion. But macroeconomic fears, precipitated by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, turned things upside down. The market capitalization fell by 18.6% in the first quarter, ending March at $2.67 trillion.
Things worsened in the early part of the second quarter as Bitcoin tumbled below $75,000. However, with tariffs getting …