Cryptocurrency markets are in freefall, with the total market capitalization having fallen more than $100 billion from its all-time high in January 2021. So what’s behind this sudden decline? Let’s take a look.

Crypto Market Plunges

Cryptocurrency markets have seen a sharp decline in the last few weeks, with the total market capitalization falling from its peak of $1.84 trillion in January 2021 to around $1.73 trillion currently. This marks a decrease of more than $100 billion, or 5.4%, in market capitalization in just a few weeks. This plunge has been felt across the entire crypto market, with some of the major cryptocurrencies – such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Cardano – all seeing significant losses.

Reasons Behind the Drop

The reasons behind the decline in crypto markets are numerous, though they mostly fall into one of two categories: macroeconomic factors and regulatory uncertainty. On the macroeconomic side, there are concerns over rising inflation, which could lead to a surge in government spending that would decrease the value of cryptocurrencies. On the regulatory side, there is still a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the taxation of cryptocurrencies, as well as the long-term legality of them, both of which could have an effect on the market.

Other potential factors include the recent rise of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) taking the spotlight away from cryptocurrencies, as well as a general pullback from retail investors who may have been overexposed to the market. There is also the possibility of market manipulation, though it is difficult to say for sure.