Bitcoin is tightening its hold on the crypto market in 2025, commanding nearly 60% of total market capitalization on average, CoinGecko data shows.
This marks the third straight year its share has expanded, reflecting a period of reduced volatility in market dominance and a steady influx of institutional capital through spot Bitcoin ETFs.
This dominance is a far cry from the asset’s lowest points. In its early years, Bitcoin was virtually unrivaled, often accounting for more than 80% of the market.
The 2017-2018 ICO frenzy broke that streak, flooding the industry with new altcoins and cutting Bitcoin’s share to just over 31% at its weakest point. The years that followed saw a partial rebound as halvings, DeFi’s early adoption, and Wall Street interest put a floor under its market presence.
Source: CoinGecko
The real shift, however, began in 2023. A friendlier regulatory climate and the rollout of mainstream investment vehicles helped Bitcoin claw back over 20 percentage points in market share in just two years. Notably, the wild dominance swings of the past have faded — daily changes are now closer to one percentage point, compared to the double-digit turbulence seen in earlier cycles.
Even so, history suggests the current momentum could face seasonal pressure. Lookonchain’s research shows that August and September have produced price declines in two-thirds of the past twelve years, hinting that this period may still bring challenges despite the broader upward trend.
