Bitcoin slipped below the key $100,000 mark to under $95,000 on November 17, slipping as low as $92,971 intraday. Bitcoin’s all-time high was around $126,000 hit in October.
But Bitcoin is not the only crypto under pressure. Several altcoins and tokens have also fallen 20–30% from their 2025 highs.
Why Are Cryptocurrencies Falling?
There are a few key reasons behind the sell-off:
Heavy Selling by Investors
Over the last 40–45 days, nearly 850,000 Bitcoins have been sold. This is the highest selling pressure seen since January 2024.
Profit-Taking After the Bitcoin Halving
Bitcoin undergoes a “halving” every four years—2024 was the halving year. Markets had expected profit-booking to happen in 2025, and that is exactly what is playing out this quarter.
Market-Wide Risk Aversion
A broader risk-off sentiment is also hitting crypto. Large investors, corporate treasuries, long-term holders and ETF allocators have all pulled money out. This has triggered fresh redemptions across the crypto universe.
Sharp Drop in Total Crypto Market Cap
The overall crypto market cap has slipped to $3.3 trillion, down from the 2025 high of $4.3 trillion. This means nearly $1 trillion has been wiped out.
Performance Across Major Cryptocurrencies
Most of the 10,000+ cryptocurrencies are currently in the red. Here’s how some of the major names have performed this year:
With the exception of around 10–12 tokens, the broader crypto market is trading lower, reflecting widespread weakness.
First Published: Nov 17, 2025 3:07 PM IST
