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Bitcoin

Bitcoin Tops Stocks but Trails S&P 500 Over Three Months

Bitcoin outperformed the stock market during the latest trading session. It has beaten the S&P 500 on only one-third of trading days over the past three months. Glassnode says this marks Bitc

AnonymousCryptoCompass newsroom
August 18, 2026
2 min read
NEWS
Bitcoin Tops Stocks but Trails S&P 500 Over Three Months
CryptoCompass editorial visual for bitcoin coverage.
  • Bitcoin outperformed the stock market during the latest trading session.
  • It has beaten the S&P 500 on only one-third of trading days over the past three months.
  • Glassnode says this marks Bitcoin’s longest streak of underperformance in six years.

Bitcoin outperformed the broader stock market in the latest trading session, according to Glassnode, offering a rare bright spot after months of lagging traditional equities.

The move comes as investors continue to compare Bitcoin’s performance with major stock indices amid changing macroeconomic conditions. While the cryptocurrency gained relative strength during the day, the broader trend still favors equities over a longer time frame.

Six-Year Underperformance Streak

Despite the latest outperformance, Glassnode notes that Bitcoin has outperformed the S&P 500 on only one-third of trading days over the past three months.

According to the analytics firm, this represents Bitcoin’s longest sustained period of underperformance relative to the S&P 500 in six years. The data suggests that capital has continued flowing toward traditional equity markets, while Bitcoin has struggled to keep pace during the same period.

Although today’s performance narrowed the gap, the broader trend remains intact.

UPDATE: Bitcoin outperformed the stock market today, per @glassnode.However, it's only beaten the S&P 500 on a third of trading days over the past 3 months, the longest underperformance streak in six years. pic.twitter.com/hIBkwkn072

— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) August 18, 2026

What Investors Should Watch

The latest Bitcoin S&P 500 performance data highlights the contrasting behavior of digital assets and traditional equities.

If Bitcoin begins outperforming stocks more consistently, it could signal renewed investor interest in cryptocurrencies. Until then, market participants are likely to monitor ETF flows, institutional demand, and macroeconomic developments to determine whether Bitcoin can reverse its extended period of underperformance against the S&P 500.