In this article5 sections
Crypto is down today. Total market value fell 2.0% in 24 hours to $2.73 trillion as of 13:00 UTC on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Bitcoin traded at $81,609 (-2.1%) and Ether at $2,399 (-2.7%). 5 of the 50 largest coins were higher, and the median move was -3.1%.
Why is crypto down today? What the numbers show
- Breadth. The move was broad: 45 of 50 large coins fell, so selling was market-wide rather than limited to one coin.
- Bitcoin versus altcoins. Only 16 of the other 49 large coins did better than Bitcoin, so money favoured the largest asset. Bitcoin dominance stands at 60.0%, and Ether underperformed Bitcoin by 0.6 percentage points.
- Trading activity. 24-hour volume across the market was $90.1 billion, up 19.6% on the previous day. Volume did not change sharply, so the move was not driven by a surge of trading.
- Bitcoin’s 24-hour range. From $81,604 (12:58 UTC) to $84,778 (22:00 UTC, Oct 21), a 3.9% swing. The low came after the high.
Stocks, the dollar and gold
Crypto often trades alongside other risk assets. Latest session for each (the date is the market’s last close or update):
Also read: Crypto Market Today: Bitcoin Steady Near $84.0K as Ethena Jumps 15%
| Market | Level | Change | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,757.17 | +0.6% | Oct 21 |
| Nasdaq Composite | 26,702.86 | +1.1% | Oct 21 |
| US dollar index | 101.78 | 0.0% | Oct 22 |
| Gold | 4,105.00 | -1.1% | Oct 22 |
| US 10-year Treasury yield | 5.036% | -11.0 bp | Oct 22 |
The Nasdaq rose 1.1% in its latest session, so crypto moved against tech stocks. That points to a crypto-specific driver rather than a broad shift in risk appetite; see the stories below.
Biggest movers in the top 50
Gainers
| Coin | Price | 24 hours | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| MemeCore (M) | $0.9106 | +19.7% | +16.3% |
| Monero (XMR) | $630.85 | +6.0% | +18.2% |
| Venice Token (VVV) | $27.14 | +3.3% | +21.2% |
| Pump.fun (PUMP) | $0.004759 | +0.3% | +11.9% |
| UNUS SED LEO (LEO) | $9.03 | +0.0% | +0.0% |
Losers
| Coin | Price | 24 hours | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worldcoin (WLD) | $0.5391 | -9.4% | +15.8% |
| Ondo (ONDO) | $0.4338 | -6.0% | +2.2% |
| Internet Computer (ICP) | $2.77 | -5.8% | -4.1% |
| Morpho (MORPHO) | $2.26 | -5.6% | -0.8% |
| Aave (AAVE) | $146.69 | -5.5% | -0.9% |
The stories behind today’s moves
What CoinPulseHQ reported in the past 24 hours:
Also read: Crypto Market Today: Bitcoin Steady Near $82.8K as Monero Jumps 5%
- Ethereum staking hits record 43.8M ETH as yields fall to 2.63% — Ethereum staking hit a record 43.8M ETH, or 35.9% of supply, in Q3 2026 while yields fell to 2.63% and validators dropped to 881,000, per Bitwise.
- FINMA approves Switzerland’s first retail Bitcoin ETF — FINMA approved Switzerland's first retail Bitcoin ETF on October 20, 2026, waiving diversification rules but requiring custody safeguards and loss warnings.
- Bitcoin Hits $84,600 as SpaceX Q3 Revenue Beats Forecasts — Bitcoin hit $84,600 as SpaceX's Q3 revenue beat lifted US stocks; the firm's 18,712 BTC treasury held at $1.573 billion in digital assets.
- Stablecoin Transfers Hit $891B in Q3 as Banks Test Settlement — Coinbase and The Block report $891B in Q3 2026 stablecoin transfers, 73% outside US banking hours, as BIS economists flag deposit-rate effects.
- Solana Activates Alpenglow, Targeting 150ms Finality — Solana activated Alpenglow on Oct 21, 2026, replacing TowerBFT and targeting roughly 150ms finality versus 12.8 seconds, with 654 validators participating.
Live prices for the top 50 coins are on our Markets page, and today’s biggest movers are on top crypto gainers and losers. Every daily report is collected on Crypto Market Today, and the previous one is Why Is Crypto Up Today? Bitcoin Rises 2.5% to $83.5K. For the bigger picture, read our weekly market wraps, and if you are wondering about trading hours, see is the crypto market open on weekends.
How this report is made
CoinPulseHQ calculates every figure in this report from CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko market data recorded at 13:00 UTC on Thursday, October 22, 2026, and stock, dollar, gold and bond levels from CNBC quotes. Stablecoins and wrapped or staked versions of other coins are left out of the rankings. Changes are over the previous 24 hours. The report describes what prices did and which measurable factors moved with them; it does not claim a single cause and does not predict prices. It is not financial advice.