Key Takeaways:
- Bitcoin trades 13% below its October peak, at ~$108,000.
- Ethereum sits 20% below August high, despite ETF inflows.
- Zcash bucks the trend, surging 9% in a bearish altcoin market.
- Kraken reports doubled revenue in Q3, showing strong fundamentals.
Bitcoin’s price has dropped to its lowest level in more than three months, trading near $108,326 as of October 22, 2025. This marks a decline of about 4% over the past week and positions the asset 13% below its record high earlier this month. Despite the downturn, Bitcoin remains up approximately 15% year-to-date, highlighting the asset’s resilience amid high volatility.
Ethereum followed a similar downward path, currently priced at $3,866 after dropping 6% over the past week. This puts ETH nearly 20% below its record close in August 2025. However, institutional interest remains strong, with Ethereum ETFs attracting around $99 million in net inflows over the same period.
Analysts attribute the decline to a mix of massive liquidations, capital rotation from gold, and geopolitical instability. Traders are particularly focused on the upcoming U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) release, which may influence monetary policy expectations
Altcoin Performance and Broader Trends
XRP, despite being one of the earliest cryptocurrencies, remained flat on the day, trading near $2.42. Litecoin also held steady at $92.90. In contrast, Zcash (ZEC) stood out with a 9% surge, defying broa der market weakness and leading gains in the altcoin segment.
The total global crypto market capitalization fell 1% to $3.74 trillion, with daily trading volumes nearing $238 billion. This downturn comes after an extended period of bullish momentum triggered by earlier spot ETF approvals.
On January 10, 2024, the U.S. SEC approved spot Bitcoin ETFs from issuers such as Grayscale (GBTC), BlackRock’s iShares (IBIT), and Fidelity (FBTC). The Ethereum equivalents followed on July 23, 2024, including offerings from Grayscale (ETHE) and Fidelity (FETH), further boosting institutional access to crypto.
Despite short-term price weakness, underlying adoption remains robust. Kraken’s Q3 report revealed a doubling in revenue, signaling continued engagement by both retail and institutional players. As Bitcoin hovers between the $100,000–$114,000 range, this zone is now considered critical for establishing either recovery or further downside in the near term.
