Bitcoin Languishes 30% Below Peak as Gold Breaks $5,000, Highlighting Crypto’s Risk-On Reality
Bitcoin’s positioning as “digital gold” faced a harsh reality check Monday as the precious metal surged past $5,000 per ounce for the first time while the cryptocurrency traded more than 30% below its all-time high, underscoring the divergence between traditional and digital safe havens.
Bitcoin fell 1.87% over 24 hours to $87,155, extending its retreat from October 2025 record levels. Ethereum dropped 3.4% to $2,843, down 11.4% over the past week, while Solana declined 3.95% to $121.35. Total cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.95 trillion, down 1.74% in 24 hours, per Coinmarketcap data.
The crypto Fear and Greed Index plunged to 20, indicating “extreme fear,” down from 61 in mid-January as investor sentiment…
