Bitcoin dominance is once again moving at levels not seen since 2021. According to Investopedia, TradingView data showed the Bitcoin Dominance Index at 61.39%, a new cycle high and the highest level since March 2021. CoinGecko separately recorded that Bitcoin dominance crossed 60.0% on April 7, 2025, reaching 60.5%.
What Is Bitcoin Dominance?
Bitcoin dominance measures Bitcoin’s market cap as a share of the total cryptocurrency market. TradingView defines it as Bitcoin market cap divided by total crypto market cap, multiplied by 100. In simpler terms, the metric shows how much of the market’s total value sits in Bitcoin rather than in altcoins.
Bitcoin Dominance in 2021
The 2021 cycle was marked by a sharp slide in Bitcoin’s share. CoinGecko’s historical analysis recorded Bitcoin dominance at 70.7% on January 3, 2021. On April 12, 2021, CoinDesk reported the metric had dropped to about 55%, the lowest since April 2019. Ten days later, on April 22, 2021, CoinDesk said it slipped below 50% for the first time since 2018, with CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko data showing 48%. Financial Magnates then reported a low of 47.9% on April 30, 2021.
By the end of that year, the decline was well established. CoinGecko says Bitcoin dominance ended 2021 at 38.2%. The Cryptonomist described the same period as a fall from 70% to 38%, while altcoin dominance rose from 30% to 62%.
The Return Toward 2021 Levels
More recent readings show the metric climbing back toward the levels it lost during 2021. Investopedia reported that TradingView put Bitcoin dominance at 61.39%, the highest level since March 2021. CoinGecko’s own research says dominance crossed 60.0% on April 7, 2025, reaching 60.5%; the previous above-60% reading was March 15, 2021, at 60.6%.
Recent Bitcoin Dominance Readings
Live dashboards show different snapshot values. CoinGecko’s Bitcoin dominance chart displayed 57.38%, while CoinCodex showed 59.36%. CoinCodex’s historical year table lists 2021 Bitcoin dominance at 41%. CoinGecko’s 2021 Year-End Report, by contrast, put the metric at 45.3% in its “Top 30 Coins Dominance” section.
What the Latest Data Shows
The cited pages give a snapshot of where Bitcoin dominance stands: 61.39% in the Investopedia report, 60.5% in CoinGecko’s April 7, 2025 research, 59.36% on CoinCodex, and 57.38% on CoinGecko’s live chart. The exact figure varies by provider and refresh time, but each reading is closer to the 2021 range than to the 38.2% year-end figure recorded for 2021.
Altcoin Impact
Bitcoin dominance matters because it measures the balance between Bitcoin and altcoins. Paybis notes that Bitcoin dominance sat at 45% in May 2021 and climbed to 58% by July 2021 as the market crashed. The Cryptonomist’s 2021 review found that Bitcoin dominance fell from 70% to 38% during the year, while altcoin dominance grew from 30% to 62%.
Why the 2021 Benchmark Matters
The 2021 data gives context for today’s readings. The metric started 2021 at 70.7% on January 3, fell below 50% in April, and ended the year at 38.2%, according to CoinGecko. The recent surge back toward 2021 levels is therefore a meaningful move for traders who use dominance as a measure of how much of the crypto market is concentrated in Bitcoin.