Bitcoin Carries Crypto Markets in 2025’s First Half as Altcoins Crumble
On the surface, the crypto market barely moved in the first half of 2025.
Despite all the tantrum about tariffs, impending recession, war, and heightened expectations of crypto friendly policies and a digital asset strategic reserve with Donald Trump’s return to the White House, the total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies, measured by TradingView, inched up a measly 3% to $3.27 trillion over the past six months.
Looking closer, the performance was starkly uneven, with bitcoin
holding up the rest of the market.
BTC climbed 13% in the first six months of 2025, continuing to outshine the broader market. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s ether
, the second-largest crypto asset, tumbled 25%, and Solana shed nearly 17%.
Smaller and riskier tokens…
