Bitcoin faced a brutal first quarter, plunging 22.6 percent in one of its weakest starts in 16 years. The sharp decline, front-loaded in January and February, stemmed from legislative delays, AI-driven investor anxiety, and Federal Reserve leadership uncertainty. While Bitcoin stabilized in March, geopolitical tensions kept volatility elevated. Interestingly, Bitcoin posted modest gains as traditional safe havens like gold and Treasuries fell sharply, demonstrating resilience during market stress. However, this recovery came after a massive selloff that sent BTC crashing from over 126,000 dollars in October to around 70,000 dollars. Energy commodities surged over 70 percent amid oil spikes, while equities rotated toward defensive sectors. The CLARITY Act stalled over stablecoin banking rules, though regulators advanced incrementally with SEC and CFTC coordination deepening.
