Bitcoin Q1 2026 Price Drop 23.8%, Marking Worst Performance Since 2018

April 1st — Bitcoin notched a 23.8% drop in the first quarter of 2026, marking its worst Q1 performance since 2018 (when it plunged 50% in the same period), per The Block. Adding to the downturn: a 23% decline in Q4 2025 means the crypto has fallen roughly 41.6% over the past six months. Analysts point to multiple drivers for the slump. Andri Fauzan Adziima, Research Director at Bitrue, noted the Q1 drop was primarily fueled by outflows from Bitcoin spot ETFs, plus persistent high inflation, a cautious Federal Reserve, and broad market risk aversion. Bitcoin spot ETFs saw net outflows of $4.965 billion in Q1: $18 billion left in the first two months, partially offset by $13.2 billion in inflows in March. Still, analysts say Bitcoin’s long-term conviction remains unshaken. Min Jung, a researcher at Presto Research, stated: “There’s little evidence of a structural shift in long-term Bitcoin belief. Institutional participation and adoption trends are intact, meaning this decline is more cyclical than fundamental.” She added a Q2 trend reversal hinges on greater macro certainty — especially around the Middle East situation. Nick Ruck, Research Director at LVRG, commented: “To turn the tide in Q2, we need net ETF inflows to resume, clear progress on U.S. crypto-friendly regulations, and a shift toward looser monetary conditions.”