$BTC ALERT: The 4-Year Bitcoin Cycle Is Showing Cracks
For more than a decade, Bitcoin followed a familiar rhythm: one painful red year, then explosive upside. The famous 4-year cycle became a trader’s roadmap. But 2025 just broke the script.
After surging +155% in 2023 and +121% in 2024, Bitcoin is now down nearly 5% in 2025 a year that historically belonged to the euphoric phase. Until now, this timing had never failed.
What’s changing? Spot ETFs reshaping demand Macro liquidity cycles driving risk assets Institutional positioning replacing retail dominance A maturing market structure This isn’t the end of Bitcoin. It may be the end of predictable cycles.
When old rules fail, volatility rises and so do opportunities for those who adapt early. So the real question is: Are cycles dead… or evolving into something bigger
Bitcoin’s Q4 Breakdown: Warning Signs Point Toward a Tough 2026
Bitcoin is under heavy pressure, and the data is sending clear warning signals. This isn’t just another dip it’s shaping up to be one of the weakest fourth quarters in Bitcoin’s history.
According to CryptoQuant, Bitcoin’s current Q4 performance stands at -19.15%, placing it among the worst quarterly closes on record. Historically, when Bitcoin ends Q4 with losses of this magnitude, downside momentum often continues in the months that follow.
Quarterly Trend Reversal: A Red Flag The shift in momentum is hard to ignore: Early 2025 showed steady growth.
Q4 abruptly reversed into deep negative territory.
Analysts note that a sharply negative fourth quarter often acts as a drag on price, extending weakness for 2–3 additional months.
This suggests the market may be transitioning from a temporary pullback into a broader corrective phase. Capitulation Indicators Are Flashing Multiple on-chain metrics indicate growing market stress:
SOPR below 1 (0.99): Coins are being sold at a loss. Short-Term Holder MVRV at 0.87: Recent buyers are deeply underwater.
Over 35% of supply underwater: Persistent selling pressure remains. Fear & Greed Index at 20: Extreme fear dominates sentiment.
Together, these signals imply that selling pressure has not yet peaked.
Demand Remains Weak The lack of buying interest adds to the concern: Market Cap Growth Rate: -11.65% ETF Outflows: $825.7M in one week
Negative Coinbase Premium: U.S. investors are net sellers Without a clear return of demand, upside moves are likely to be short-lived. Looking Ahead: What Could 2026 Hold?
CryptoQuant’s base case suggests that this correction may extend into early 2026. Until capitulation eases and demand metrics stabilize, Bitcoin could continue to face strong resistance on any bounce.
The Big Question Is this decline a strategic buying window before the next cycle begins or the start of a longer bearish phase?
The answer will depend on how quickly sellers exhaust and buyers regain confidence.