Crypto Interest Hits 2025 Lows as Buyer Fatigue Sets In

Key Takeaways

• Google search interest in crypto has fallen to its lowest level this year.
• The Oct. 10 market crash erased billions in leverage and dampened retail sentiment.
• Institutional traders now dominate market activity as retail enthusiasm fades.

After one of the sharpest sell-offs of 2025, the crypto market is once again in a holding pattern.

Prices have moved sideways for two weeks following the Oct. 10 crash that erased billions in leverage positions and shook investor confidence.

Now, interest in crypto is falling just as fast as prices.

According to Google Trends data, searches for “crypto,” “Bitcoin,” and “buy Bitcoin” have plunged to a score of 26, levels last seen during the height of the U.S.–China trade war earlier this year.

Crypto Fatigue Returns

Similar to the last time, this slump in public attention comes just weeks after President Donald Trump’s administration reignited its trade offensive against China, imposing tariffs of 100%–130% on Chinese imports and signaling further restrictions on key tech exports.

The renewed trade tensions rattled investors across risk markets.

On Oct. 10, following Trump’s comments on Truth Social threatening “massive tariffs” and canceling a planned APEC meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, markets spiraled.

Within hours, over $19 billion in crypto leverage was liquidated as Bitcoin plunged more than 15%, falling from above $126,000 to near $105,000.

It was one of the sharpest single-day declines of the year, drawing comparisons to the Black Swan liquidation events of 2022.

Looking at trends, it’s clear that buyer fatigue has returned.

Bitcoin and Crypto Markets Struggle for Momentum

Since the October crash, Bitcoin (BTC) has recovered modestly, climbing back above $115,000 and briefly touching $116,000 before sliding to around $114,000.

Ethereum (ETH) has stabilized near $4,100, while BNB trades above $1,100, signaling tentative recovery but fragile sentiment.

Analysts say retail enthusiasm has largely evaporated.

According to Google Trends, global crypto search activity has dropped 70–80% from its 2025 highs, signaling a shift away from retail-driven cycles.

Industry data now suggests that institutional traders account for over 80% of market volume, leaving crypto’s momentum increasingly tied to macro factors like rate cuts and liquidity injections rather than online hype.

Institutional Support and the Road Ahead

Despite waning public interest, institutional inflows and policy shifts could revive optimism.

The Federal Reserve’s expected return to quantitative easing and a potential rate cut cycle in late 2025 may inject liquidity back into risk assets, including crypto.

Market strategists argue this could set the stage for one final bull rally before the next bear market cycle begins.

However, for now, with volatility rising and confidence slipping, the crypto industry is entering a quieter phase—one that looks more like 2019 than the mania of 2021.