Bitcoin heads for second-best Q3 with 43.5% gain as ether sets record
Bitcoin has risen about 43.5% this quarter, its strongest third quarter since 2013, while ethereum's 71% jump is its best Q3 on record, Bitcoin.com News reports.
Key points
- Bitcoin gained roughly 43.5% in Q3 2026, climbing from about $58,500 to around $84,000.
- The quarter ranks as bitcoin's second-best Q3, behind the roughly 80.4% surge in 2017.
- Ethereum rose 71% in Q3, beating its previous record of about 66.5% set in 2025, per Coinglass data.
- Bitcoin held up through the large 25 September quarterly options expiry and has cleared several investor cost-basis levels.
- The next onchain resistance sits near the mean MVRV price of about $96,700, close to the $100,000 mark.
Bitcoin is heading for its second-strongest third quarter on record, with ethereum already posting its best Q3 performance ever, Bitcoin.com News reports. With a few days of September still to trade, stronger ETF demand, rising spot activity and restrained profit-taking are keeping attention on whether bitcoin can extend the rally.
Bitcoin's price has gained roughly 43.5% in Q3 2026, climbing from about $58,500 at the start of the quarter to around $84,000. That puts the quarter on track to become bitcoin's second-best Q3 ever, behind only the roughly 80.4% surge recorded in 2017. It is also bitcoin's best third-quarter showing since 2013.
Ethereum has done even better. According to Coinglass data cited by the outlet, ETH is up 71% this quarter, exceeding its previous Q3 record of about 66.5% set in 2025. The move marks ethereum's strongest summer rally on record. Crypto analyst Luciano called the combination extraordinary, writing on X that this is the second-best quarter ever recorded for BTC and the best quarter ETH has ever had.
Bitcoin's historic third quarter
July, August and September have historically been inconsistent months for crypto, often producing flat or modest returns compared with stronger fourth-quarter periods. The significance goes beyond percentage gains, the article notes: both assets are entering the final stretch of September with momentum already established before a quarter that has historically attracted greater speculative interest.
The setup has also improved beneath the surface. Bitcoin has moved back above several investor cost-basis levels that capped earlier recovery attempts, ETF demand has strengthened, spot trading volume has increased, and profit-taking remains relatively restrained. That combination points to a rally supported by more than derivatives alone.
Bitcoin's price also held up through the large 25 September quarterly options expiry, an event that carried substantial open interest and had the potential to generate short-term volatility. With that hurdle behind the market, attention is shifting higher. The next major onchain resistance level sits near the mean MVRV price around $96,700, a zone that would put bitcoin within striking distance of the psychological $100,000 level.
Ethereum sets a record
A few trading days remain in September, leaving room for both assets to extend their unusual Q3 performances. That matters because Q4 has historically been stronger for crypto than Q3. A powerful summer rally does not guarantee another leg higher, but it changes the starting point considerably. The immediate question is whether buyers can keep absorbing supply as bitcoin trades around the mid-$80,000 range.