Crypto Market Turmoil: Bitcoin's Worst Year-to-Date Performance on Record

The crypto market experienced a tumultuous week, with Bitcoin recording its worst year-to-date performance on record. According to Fortune's historical data, Bitcoin was down approximately 27% from January 1, while Ethereum fell roughly 34%. The Crypto Fear and Greed Index sat at an Extreme Fear reading of 11.

Circle Internet Group's Q4 2025 earnings report showed strong revenue growth, with $770 million in revenue up 77% year-over-year. USDC in circulation reached $75.3 billion, a 72% increase from the previous year. On-chain USDC transaction volume in Q4 alone reached $11.9 trillion.

Tether confirmed that it had frozen $4.2 billion in USDT linked to crime, with the DoJ seizing $61 million in pig-butchering proceeds this week alone. An insider trading scandal at Axiom Exchange also made headlines, with a senior business development employee allegedly using internal customer support tools to access private wallet data and execute trades.