Crypto could rally in Q2: But tensions rise, as do real-world risks

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-03-20Last updated on 2026-03-20

Abstract

Based on historical trends, there is potential for a bullish Q2 in the crypto market, as seen in 2025 when the total market cap surged 23.4% and Bitcoin gained 30% following a Q1 correction. This year's 20% Q1 drop has already been exceeded, indicating the market's ability to rebound quickly. However, currently down 18%, faces rising real-world risks. Geopolitical tensions, such as the West Asia crisis, and hotter-than-expected inflation data have triggered risk-off sentiment, causing significant sell-offs. Additionally, political uncertainty, including a high probability of a U.S. presidential impeachment, reflects broader economic weaknesses. These macro factors are increasingly influencing crypto, making a strong Q2 rally far less certain than before.

Is it still too early to project a bullish Q2 for the crypto market?

The discussion is certainly worth exploring, especially when we consider historical trends. Looking back at the 2025 cycle, Q2 clearly emerged as the most bullish quarter of the year.

During this period, the total crypto market cap increased by 23.4%, which translated into roughly $640 billion in fresh inflows.

Bitcoin [BTC] mirrored this momentum, closing the quarter up 30% and achieving the highest ROI of the year.

However, the main takeaway? This surge followed BTC’s roughly 12% correction in Q1, and the market has already outpaced that pullback with this year’s roughly 20% drop so far, showing how quickly it can rebound and adapt.

Source: CoinGlass

Against this backdrop, we cannot dismiss the possibility of a repeat run for crypto as overly optimistic.

In fact, it becomes even more compelling when we consider how the market has so far shrugged off the FUD stemming from the West Asia crisis, despite surging oil prices. Meanwhile, traditional safe havens have been under pressure, with gold posting nearly twice the weekly losses of Bitcoin.

Taken together, this suggests that the crypto market could be setting the stage for another strong rally. However, when we step back and look at the bigger picture, the total crypto market cap is still down roughly 18%, a stark contrast to the S&P 500’s 3.23% quarterly decline.

Naturally, the key question becomes: Can crypto’s relative strength hold up against a double-digit pullback and still power a bullish Q2?

The crypto market faces a real-world test

The crypto market stumbled on fresh macro data, sparking another wave of risk-off activity.

As AMBCrypto flagged, the latest PPI report came in hotter than expected, showing that inflation concerns continue to keep the Federal Reserve hawkish on interest rates. Still, the market had mostly priced this in, with nearly 99% expecting rates to remain unchanged.

And yet, crypto closed the session down 3.24%, reminding investors that even priced-in data can shake sentiment.

This naturally puts the spotlight on recent prediction market data, which highlights that the probability of U.S. President Donald Trump being impeached before 2028 has risen to 72%, trending steadily higher over the past few months.

Source: Kalshi

Most importantly, this isn’t a one-off signal. The data also reflects a weakening U.S. economy across multiple sectors, from unemployment to GDP, underscoring that the impeachment prediction is supported by broader economic trends.

In this context, the recent PPI report represents just one piece of a much larger picture, highlighting ongoing inflation pressures and the challenges policymakers face. Against this backdrop, it’s no surprise that the market reacted.

After Israel struck Iran’s critical energy infrastructure, crypto lost billions, with Bitcoin falling more than 2%. This shows that real-world events are starting to feed into investor sentiment, testing the crypto market’s recent resilience.

This in turn makes the odds of a bullish Q2 highly unlikely, as macro FUD now plays a larger role in shaping investor expectations than it did earlier this year.


Final Summary

  • Historical trends suggest Q2 could be bullish, as BTC and the overall crypto market have rebounded strongly after Q1 pullbacks.
  • Macro and geopolitical risks are beginning to influence investor sentiment, making a repeat Q2 rally far from guaranteed.

Related Reads

Must-Watch Events Next Week|CLARITY Act Could Face Senate Vote; SpaceX, Circle to Report Earnings (8.3-8.9)

**Summary: Key Events and Developments to Watch (August 3-9)** The upcoming week is marked by significant financial disclosures, key legislative deadlines, and notable product updates. **Major Financial Events:** Several companies are scheduled to release their Q2 2026 earnings. American Bitcoin (ABTC) will report on August 3, followed by SpaceX and Hut 8 Mining Corp. on August 4, and Circle on August 5. Notably, a significant portion of SpaceX shares (up to 12% of total shares) will be unlocked on August 6 following their earnings release. **Key Legislative Deadline:** The U.S. Senate faces an August 7 deadline to secure 60 votes for the CLARITY Act, a bipartisan bill aiming to establish a federal regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies. The Senate may hold a full vote on the bill during the week. **Economic Data:** The U.S. July Non-Farm Payrolls report will be released on August 7, providing crucial labor market data. **Technology & Product Updates:** * **Shutdowns:** DeFi portfolio tracker Zapper and wallet app Ctrl Wallet will cease operations on August 3. * **Upgrades:** LayerZero will deprecate its v1 relayers on August 3. XRP Ledger's new version 3.3.0, featuring five new functions, is expected next week. * **AI:** Elon Musk announced that the advanced Grok 4.6 AI model is set for release around August 7. * **Bitcoin:** The BIP-110 forced signaling for a potential Bitcoin network change is scheduled to begin around August 8. **Other Notable Events:** Chinese robotics firm Unitree Tech has set its preliminary price inquiry for its IPO for August 5. South Korean exchange Upbit will delist AQT and AERGO tokens on August 3.

marsbit2h ago

Must-Watch Events Next Week|CLARITY Act Could Face Senate Vote; SpaceX, Circle to Report Earnings (8.3-8.9)

marsbit2h ago

Stocks Are Plummeting More Sharply Than Cryptocurrencies. Where Has the Money Gone?

Stock Markets Plunge Deeper Than Cryptocurrencies: Where Did the Money Go? In late July, Seoul's Kospi index triggered circuit breakers for two consecutive days, plummeting over 40% from its June high. The collapse was led by heavyweight stocks like SK Hynix, whose record profits still disappointed investors, and devastating leveraged ETFs, with one major product losing over 83% of its value. This signaled a global, forced deleveraging targeting the most crowded trades. Interestingly, while stocks exhibited extreme volatility akin to crypto markets, Bitcoin rose nearly 15% in July after a prior steep drop. Analysis shows the money fleeing equities did not flow into Bitcoin. Instead, Bitcoin had already absorbed its sell-off in May-June, when U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw historic outflows. The true safe-haven beneficiary was gold, whose price rose over 20% year-on-year, highlighting a decoupling between Bitcoin and gold as "digital gold." The sell-off was a targeted unwinding of leveraged positions in tech and semiconductors, accelerated by broker-dealer risk management and shifts in the AI narrative, including new competition from Chinese memory chipmakers. The retreat path was clear: from high-valuation tech stocks to cash and U.S. Treasuries, then to gold. For Bitcoin to attract sustained institutional inflows, conditions like eased global liquidity pressure, a "soft-landing" Fed rate cut, and U.S. regulatory clarity via legislation like the stalled CLARITY Act are needed. Currently, Bitcoin is not a safe haven but an already-cleared asset. Its low correlation with tech stocks, however, makes it a potential diversification play for institutional portfolios once the storm passes. The money isn't here yet, but the positioning is underway.

marsbit2h ago

Stocks Are Plummeting More Sharply Than Cryptocurrencies. Where Has the Money Gone?

marsbit2h ago

In Conversation with Ray Dalio: We Are Currently in an AI Bubble, with 1% of My Portfolio in Bitcoin

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, warns in an interview that the current AI boom shows classic bubble characteristics, which could lead to significant economic downturns as seen in past cycles like 1929 or 2000. He explains that speculative enthusiasm, fueled by debt and overvaluation, often precedes a crash when rising rates or taxation force asset sales, causing widespread losses and recession. Dalio also outlines his "Big Cycle" theory, describing an approximate 80-year pattern where widening wealth gaps, massive government deficits, and shifting geopolitical power (like China's rise) create internal conflict and global instability. He emphasizes that we are in a late-cycle, transitional phase where traditional powers like the US and UK face decline. For personal wealth protection, Dalio advises diversification beyond cash into assets like stocks, bonds, real estate, and particularly gold, which he prefers over Bitcoin. While he holds about 1% of his portfolio in Bitcoin as a non-printable hard asset, he views gold as more secure from technological or governmental threats. Regarding AI's impact, Dalio believes it will disproportionately benefit capital owners, worsening inequality by replacing both physical and cognitive labor. He suggests that human intuition and emotional intelligence, combined with AI, will be key for future workers. On taxation, Dalio argues that wealth taxes are impractical and risk triggering asset sell-offs, reducing productive investment. He points to the UK as a cautionary example of debt, low productivity, and political strife. Geopolitically, Dalio foresees a more regionalized world, with the US showing weakness in prolonged conflicts like with Iran, akin to past imperial declines. The ideal outcome, he suggests, is coexisting powerful blocs (e.g., Americas, China-Asia Pacific) without major war.

marsbit5h ago

In Conversation with Ray Dalio: We Are Currently in an AI Bubble, with 1% of My Portfolio in Bitcoin

marsbit5h ago

Trading

Spot
活动图片