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CoinDesk live coverage graphic for Bitcoin and ether closing the third quarter
Photo: CoinDesk

Bitcoin Jumps 42% in Third Quarter on ETF Inflows

CoinDesk2 min read6 sources

Why did Bitcoin jump 42% in a quarter?

Bitcoin (BTC) rose about 42% in the third quarter to roughly $84,000 on Wednesday, its best quarter since early 2024, as ETF inflows and Treasury bond buybacks drew in buyers.

Key numbers

Bitcoin Q3 gain~42%from ~$58,500; sources range 40–44%
Ether Q3 gain~71%best quarter since 2021; 66% per [3]
Bitcoin ETF inflows, week to Sept 25$2.4Bmost since October 2025
Bitcoin year to date-5.2%still negative for 2026 (per [3])

What happened

Bitcoin (BTC) rose about 42% in the third quarter to roughly $84,000 on Wednesday, its best quarter since early 2024, as ETF inflows and Treasury bond buybacks drew in buyers. Funds that hold Bitcoin and trade on stock exchanges (ETFs) took in $2.4 billion in the week ending September 25, the most since October 2025. Ether (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency, gained about 71%, its best quarter since 2021. Sources differ slightly on the exact gains, from 40% to 44% for Bitcoin and 66% to 71% for Ether, depending on the closing prices used.

Why it matters

Bitcoin's rally matters because it reverses a weak start to 2026, when its price fell about 22% in the first quarter and 14% in the second. Money flowing into Bitcoin funds (ETFs) turned positive for the year last week. Even so, Bitcoin is still about 5% lower for 2026, and high borrowing costs, with the 10-year US government bond paying 5.29%, could slow further gains.

Who this affects

Marketbullish
Medium impact
Crypto investors gain, though high bond yields limit further upside.
Companybullish
Medium impact
Bitcoin holders, including Strategy, see gains; 2026 still slightly negative.
Competitorsbullish
Medium impact
Ether, Solana, XRP and BNB also rose, with Ether leading.
Industrybullish
Low impact
Crypto fund providers gain as inflows return after heavy outflows.

Bitcoin vs Ether, Solana, XRP

BitcoinBTC~40%—
EtherETH~66%+26 pts
SolanaSOL~59%+19 pts
XRPXRP~41%+1 pt

As of 2026-09-30

How we got here

  1. Bitcoin starts the quarter near $58,500 after falling 22% in Q1 and 14% in Q2.

  2. Bitcoin fund flows turn positive for 2026, after being about $5.8B negative in mid-July.

  3. Bitcoin funds end the week with $2.4B of inflows, the most since October 2025.

  4. Bitcoin closes the quarter near $84,000 and Ether near $2,690.

What to watch

  • Whether Bitcoin holds $80,000 support and breaks $85,000 resistance (per)Q4 2026
  • Fed meeting, with markets pricing a 47% chance of a rate hike (per)2026-10-28
  • Whether fund inflows continue after daily flows slowed to $134.5M on Sept 25 (per)Q4 2026

Educational content only. Not investment advice.

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