Investing

Trump-Fueled Crypto Boom Fizzles in Brutal Year for Retail Traders

After a rough few months, crypto enthusiasts are reevaluating their strategies for 2026.

Bitcoin signage in New York’s Times Square.

Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

Joaquin Morales didn’t think Bitcoin would keep dropping.

The largest cryptocurrency had just hit a record high of $126,000 for the first time ever, the sort of move enthusiasts had been banking on after President Donald Trump’s reelection. For months, analysts had been predicting a bull run lasting for years, fueled by an administration that championed digital assets.