Crypto Greed Gauge Hits Highest Since October Wipeout
Alternative.me’s Crypto Fear & Greed Index tracks market sentiment using bitcoin volatility and momentum, social-media activity, bitcoin’s share of total cryptocurrency value and Google search interest. Readings above 50 signal greed. The gauge captures how traders are positioning rather than forecasting prices, but a rapid shift toward risk-taking can indicate stronger momentum as well as greater vulnerability to crowded trades and abrupt reversals.
The index jumped to 74 on Aug. 25 from 27 on Aug. 12, its highest since Oct. 5, 2025, before easing to 65 on Aug. 26. The previous comparable reading came five days before a crash triggered about $19 billion in leveraged liquidations in a single session, the largest such wipeout on record. The latest swing accompanied a broad cryptocurrency rally that pushed bitcoin close to $80,000.
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The history behind this eventCrypto Fear and Greed Index Falls Back Into ‘Extreme Fear’
CoinMarketCap’s Crypto Fear and Greed Index measures market sentiment using volatility, trading volume and social signals, with readings below 25 classified as “extreme fear.” After the market crash in October 2025, Bitcoin at one point fell more than 50% from its all-time high. Geopolitical tensions and concerns over interest rates and liquidity prolonged the bear market, making the index an important gauge of investors’ risk appetite.
On March 7, 2026, CoinMarketCap’s index fell to 18 from 20, returning to “extreme fear” after touching a low of 5 in February. Alternative.me’s index, however, rose to 28 on March 17 and registered 26 on March 18, ending 48 consecutive days of extreme fear. Over the same period, the crypto market added about $174 billion in value, while Binance recorded $2.2 billion in USDT inflows on March 18.
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