Bitcoin Gains 44% in Q3, Hinting at a Broader Crypto Rally

Bitcoin (BTC) ended the third quarter at roughly $84,813, marking a 44% rise from the start of the period and its strongest performance since late 2024. The rally outpaced gold’s 8.7% gain and the modest 2% advances in both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq.

Performance Compared to Traditional Markets

While equities rode AI‑driven optimism earlier in the year, Bitcoin has now become the top performer, even surpassing Nvidia (NVDA), which rose about 11%.

Regulatory Catalyst

Tagus Capital attributes part of the upside to a recent U.S. SEC decision (Sept. 17) granting a five‑year innovation exemption for venues that trade tokenized U.S. stocks using automated market makers and blockchain liquidity pools. The firm expects Ethereum to benefit most, given its role as the leading public blockchain for tokenized assets.

Altcoin Gains

Several major tokens posted strong quarterly gains, ranging from 40% to 150%: Ethereum (ETH), XRP, Solana (SOL), Uniswap (UNI) and NEAR.

Market Outlook

Analysts note that Bitcoin’s price now sits above its 50‑week moving average for the first time in 45 weeks, a technical level historically linked to the end of bear markets. However, they caution that pullbacks remain possible and advise investors to stay vigilant.