The main topic discussed in the Bitcoin market in recent days has been the duration of the correction since the price’s record high. Approximately 160 days have passed since the all-time high in October 2025. Although investors think this period is long, this period is quite short compared to past cycles.
The Course of Cycles in Charts
A chart from CryptoQuant tracks Bitcoin’s price and the number of days away from record highs from 2013 to March 2026. All four halving periods are marked on the chart. The dark blue line shows the number of days since the old record and is reset when a new record is set. Looking at previous cycles, it took Bitcoin 1,180 days after the 2017 peak to set a new record. The new record after the peak of 2021 reached 1,093 days. This year’s cycle drew attention as the new record came 849 days later.
The current portion of the chart shows that only 159 days have passed since the 2025 high. This indicates that we are just at the beginning of the process compared to previous cycles.
Shortening Periods of Cycles
Another noteworthy point is that new record levels come in shorter intervals in each cycle. This period, which decreased from 1,180 days to 1,093 and then to 849 days, shows that the pace of recovery has increased. It cannot be said with certainty at the moment whether this shortening will continue; because the current correction has only lasted 160 days and is far from previous bottom levels.
By 2025, a historical breakthrough occurred. Because in previous cycles, new records usually came after the halving; This time, the record came earlier as a result of the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024. Cycle time was compressed as demand from investment institutions was brought forward.
The Role of Halving and Structural Changes
Although the halving event is generally considered to be the main reason for new peaks in the market, analysis indicates that the main driving force is mostly due to different factors. The bear market trend usually begins before the halving; Therefore, while the recovery has already begun, the halving only reduces the selling pressure of miners, restricting supply in the long term. CryptoQuant data reveals that the inflation rate in Bitcoin has also been decreasing steadily since 2010.
Institutional demand created by the launch of spot ETFs caused the usual cycle pattern to be disrupted. While this demand was seen after the halving in previous cycles, this time it came into play early and created a structural difference.
The Meaning of the Past 159 Days
For long-term Bitcoin investors, the 159-day correction period after the cycle top is seen as a relatively short period compared to previous years. Investors who waited 1,180 days after the 2017 peak and 1,093 days after the 2021 peak eventually saw much higher levels.
It remains unclear whether the current correction will last shorter or longer than historical averages in the new cycle. However, 159 days is considered a very early stage in Bitcoin history compared to the levels at the beginning of previous correction periods.
