Cryptocurrency Historically Weak Performance in August: A Cautionary Tale

Historical data suggests that both Bitcoin and Ethereum have historically underperformed in August. Since 2016, Ethereum has only finished four Augusts with gains out of ten, while experiencing losses in six periods. In contrast, Bitcoin's average return in August is a mere 1.06%, with the median return being negative at -6.99%. The mixed performance data for both cryptocurrencies indicates that investors should exercise caution when making investment decisions.

Ethereum's strongest performance in August was seen in 2017, where it rose by 92.86%. However, the sharpest decline occurred in 2018, with Ethereum losing 34.79% of its value on a monthly basis. The average return for Ethereum in August since 2016 is 6.74%, but the median return is -1.74%, suggesting that positive performances are largely due to a few exceptional periods.

Bitcoin's historical performance also doesn't offer a clear bullish signal for investors. While it rose 8.13% in August 2025, gained 2.95% in 2024, and declined 4.02% in 2023, the negative median data indicates that loss-making closes are more typical in August.