Crypto Market Sheds $890B in H1 as AI Stocks and Regulation Take Toll

The crypto market lost roughly $890 billion in the first half of 2026, a 30% decline in total valuation, according to data from CoinMarketCap analyzed by Finbold.

The market cap closed June 30 at approximately $2.08 trillion, down from $2.97 trillion on January 1. Bitcoin fell 33.2% to $58,554, while Ethereum shed 47.3% to end the half at $1,569, per the same data.

Tether's market cap slipped by $2.52 billion to $184.48 billion. XRP saw its market cap drop by $45.68 billion, a 40.9% decline from $111.72 billion to $66.04 billion.

The pullback coincided with a rotation into AI equities, which attracted investor attention amid a regulatory vacuum. U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded their largest monthly cash outflows since inception during the period, Finbold reported.

A key factor was the continued delay of the Clarity Act, a U.S. bill that would set clear rules for cryptocurrencies. Without a legislative catalyst, capital flowed toward AI stocks, where regulatory uncertainty was lower.

For the full breakdown covering market cap trends, institutional flows, hacks, ETF performance, and other key developments, see Finbold's complete H1 2026 report.