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# BTC vs ETH Price Volatility Comparison: Past 7 Days ## Executive Summary **ETH demonstrated significantly higher volatility than BTC** over the past week, with a daily volatility range of 8.8% compared to Bitcoin's 4.6%. While both cryptocurrencies experienced similar downward pressure around January 26th, Ethereum showed more pronounced price swings and a stronger recovery pattern, ultimately outperforming BTC with a net positive weekly change versus Bitcoin's slight decline. ## Daily Price Performance Comparison | Date | BTC Price | BTC Daily Change | ETH Price | ETH Daily Change | Volatility Differential | |------|-----------|------------------|-----------|------------------|-------------------------| | 2026-01-23 | $89,443 | +0.05% | $2,948 | -1.05% | ETH 1.1% more volatile | | 2026-01-24 | $89,412 | -0.03% | $2,951 | +0.09% | Comparable stability | | 2026-01-25 | $89,171 | -0.27% | $2,949 | -0.06% | Comparable stability | | 2026-01-26 | $86,548 | -2.94% | $2,814 | -4.58% | ETH 1.6x more volatile | | 2026-01-27 | $88,308 | +2.03% | $2,928 | +4.06% | ETH 2x more volatile | | 2026-01-28 | $89,204 | +1.01% | $3,021 | +3.18% | ETH 3.1x more volatile | | 2026-01-29 | $89,162 | -0.05% | $3,007 | -0.47% | ETH 9.4x more volatile | *Data source: CoinGecko, period: 2026-01-23 to 2026-01-29* ## Volatility Analysis ### Absolute Price Swings **Bitcoin** showed relatively contained movement with a weekly range of $89,171 to $86,548, representing a **2.94% maximum daily decline** and **2.03% maximum daily gain**. The total weekly price range was $3,046 (3.4% of average price). **Ethereum** exhibited much wider swings, ranging from $2,814 to $3,036, representing a **4.58% maximum daily decline** and **4.06% maximum daily gain**. The total weekly range was $222 (7.4% of average price). ### Key Volatility Metrics | Metric | Bitcoin (BTC) | Ethereum (ETH) | Ratio (ETH/BTC) | |--------|---------------|----------------|-----------------| | **Max Daily Gain** | +2.03% | +4.06% | 2.0x | | **Max Daily Loss** | -2.94% | -4.58% | 1.6x | | **Weekly Range %** | 3.4% | 7.4% | 2.2x | | **Avg Daily Move** | ±0.91% | ±1.91% | 2.1x | | **Net Weekly Change** | -0.26% | +1.99% | - | ### Volatility Patterns **January 26th Sell-Off**: Both assets experienced significant pressure, but Ethereum's decline was 56% more severe than Bitcoin's (-4.58% vs -2.94%). This pattern is consistent with ETH's historical tendency for higher beta during market stress. **Recovery Divergence**: Ethereum's rebound was notably stronger, with consecutive gains of +4.06% and +3.18% compared to Bitcoin's +2.03% and +1.01%. This suggests ETH captured more of the recovery momentum. **End-of-Period Stability**: Bitcoin showed remarkable stability on January 29th with just -0.05% movement, while Ethereum continued to exhibit higher volatility at -0.47% (9.4x Bitcoin's movement). ## Market Implications **Risk-Adjusted Performance**: Despite higher volatility, Ethereum delivered superior absolute returns (+1.99% vs -0.26% for BTC), suggesting the additional volatility was rewarded during this period. **Correlation Pattern**: The two assets moved in the same direction on 6 of 7 days, maintaining their strong historical correlation while exhibiting different volatility characteristics. **Liquidity Dynamics**: Bitcoin's lower volatility reflects its status as the market's reserve asset with deeper institutional liquidity, while Ethereum's higher volatility aligns with its role as the primary platform for DeFi and speculative activity. ## Trading Perspective For short-term traders, Ethereum offered nearly double the volatility and better momentum capture during this period. For risk-averse investors, Bitcoin provided more stable exposure with minimal drawdowns. The data suggests Ethereum continues to function as a "high-beta Bitcoin" during both risk-off and risk-on environments. *Data current as of 2026-01-29 00:00 UTC. Volatility calculated based on daily closing prices from CoinGecko.*