Bitcoin’s Fifth Consecutive Monthly Decline Deepens Amid Global Trade Fears and Market Selloff

The Five-Month Price Slide

Bitcoin faced a tough period in early 2026. On February 24, 2026, the price of Bitcoin fell to an intraday low of $62,553 on spot exchanges, according to historical data from StatMuse Money. This price is exactly half of Bitcoin's highest value ever. The cryptocurrency reached its peak of $126,198 in early October 2025 before starting this long downward journey.

This drop represents the fifth month in a row that Bitcoin has ended with a loss. StatMuse Money records show that Bitcoin fell over three percent in October 2025, seventeen percent in November, three percent in December, ten percent in January, and fourteen percent in February. This is the longest losing streak for the asset since the bear market of 2018 and 2019.

Many people who watch the market are trying to understand why this slide is lasting so long. While some people point to political news, others look at how investors behave when they get scared. It is important to remember that just because two events happen at the same time, one did not necessarily cause the other.

Global Trade Rules and Market Reactions

A major political event happened just before the price drop in late February. On Friday, February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked some of President Donald Trump's trade policies. In response, Trump used a different law called Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to announce new taxes on goods coming into the country from all over the world.

On Saturday, February 21, 2026, Trump announced on Truth Social that he would raise these global tariffs to fifteen percent. The Guardian reported that these taxes went into effect on February 24. This news made many investors nervous about the global economy. When investors worry about trade wars, they often sell riskier assets like stocks and cryptocurrencies to hold safer cash.

Rachael Lucas, a cryptocurrency analyst at BTC Markets, said the tariff decision disturbed financial markets, and Bitcoin prices moved down alongside stocks. This price movement shows that Bitcoin often behaves like a typical risky asset during times of political tension. However, this correlation does not mean the tariff news was the only reason for the price drop.

Other Pressures Behind the Selloff

Other financial pressures were acting on Bitcoin at the same time as the trade news. Decrypt reported that investors took a lot of money out of spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, in early 2026. In January alone, these funds saw more than $3 billion in net outflows. These outflows show that some fund participants decided to sell their shares.

When investors redeem their ETF shares, the fund managers might sell Bitcoin to pay them back, but a redemption is not always a direct market sale. At the same time, many traders who borrowed money to bet on higher prices had to close their positions. This forced selling can cause prices to drop very quickly in a short period.

The price drop also affected companies that help people buy and sell cryptocurrency. The legacy Bitcoin.now report noted that Gemini, an exchange run by the Winklevoss twins, faced pressure as its valuation fell alongside Bitcoin. This situation shows how a prolonged drop in cryptocurrency prices can create financial difficulties for the businesses that support the network.

Technical Signals and the Search for a Bottom

Despite the downward trend, some market indicators suggest that the price might stop falling soon. On-chain analyst James Check stated that Bitcoin's recent price movements resemble a classic pattern that happens before a market recovery. However, Check also stated that time is more important than price, meaning investors might need to wait patiently for a true turnaround.

Other data sources point to specific signs of buying activity during the late February dip. For example, the price of Bitcoin on the Coinbase exchange became slightly higher than on other exchanges on February 22 and 23. This difference, called a positive premium, often indicates that large institutions are starting to buy the asset again.

To understand whether the market is finding a floor, we can examine several specific technical measurements. These metrics help traders see if selling pressure is slowing down and if buyers are starting to return to the market. Here are some of the key technical indicators that analysts watched closely during this late February period:

• The Coinbase premium turned positive in late February, signaling institutional interest.
• The ahr999x Escape Top Indicator fell to historically low levels.
• On-chain data showed that long-term holders stopped selling their coins.
• Trading volume increased during the price drops, showing active market participation.

Why Bitcoin’s Fifth Consecutive Monthly Decline Deepens

The combination of global trade tension and heavy selling pressure explains why Bitcoin's fifth consecutive monthly decline deepens. This five-month drop is the longest continuous fall since the major market downturn of June 2022. While some short-term investors are selling, others are looking for ways to use their assets for business loans.

For example, a company called Smarter Web secured a $30 million credit line from Coinbase Credit by using its Bitcoin as collateral. This transaction shows that some businesses still value Bitcoin as a financial tool even when prices are falling. Additionally, Stripe's Bridge platform reported that stablecoin transactions quadrupled over the previous year, showing steady interest in digital assets.

Nobody can know for sure where Bitcoin's price will go next. Miners continue to build candidate blocks and perform proof of work to keep the network secure, regardless of the price. Investors will need to watch both global political news and technical charts to see if this five-month slide is ending or if deeper drops are ahead.