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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 | - | $2,948 | - | - | | 2026-01-24 | $89,412 | -0.03% | $2,951 | +0.09% | +0.12pp | | 2026-01-25 | $89,171 | -0.27% | $2,949 | -0.06% | +0.21pp | | 2026-01-26 | $86,548 | -2.94% | $2,814 | -4.58% | +1.64pp | | 2026-01-27 | $88,308 | +2.03% | $2,928 | +4.07% | +2.04pp | | 2026-01-28 | $89,204 | +1.01% | $3,021 | +3.15% | +2.14pp | | 2026-01-29 | $89,162 | -0.05% | $3,007 | -0.47% | +0.42pp | *Data: [CoinGecko](https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/bitcoin), [CoinGecko](https://www.coingecko.com/en/coins/ethereum) as of 2026-01-29 00:00 UTC* ## Volatility Analysis ### Bitcoin Volatility Profile - **Daily range**: 4.6% (from -2.94% to +2.03%) - **Weekly performance**: -0.31% (from $89,443 to $89,162) - **Largest drawdown**: January 26th (-2.94%) - **Recovery pattern**: Steady, gradual recovery over 3 days ### Ethereum Volatility Profile - **Daily range**: 8.8% (from -4.58% to +4.07%) - **Weekly performance**: +2.03% (from $2,948 to $3,007) - **Largest drawdown**: January 26th (-4.58%) - **Recovery pattern**: Sharp V-shaped recovery, gaining 7.4% from lows ## Key Insights **ETH as High-Beta Bitcoin**: Ethereum's volatility consistently exceeded Bitcoin's throughout the week, particularly during the January 26th selloff where ETH dropped 56% more than BTC (-4.58% vs -2.94%). This pattern continued during the recovery phase, with ETH gaining double the percentage points of BTC. **Synchronized Stress Test**: Both assets experienced their maximum drawdown on the same day (January 26th), suggesting a correlated market-wide event affecting the entire crypto sector. However, Ethereum's amplified reaction indicates its higher sensitivity to market-wide risk-off sentiment. **Divergent Outcomes**: Despite similar stress patterns, the week ended with fundamentally different results - Bitcoin slightly negative while Ethereum posted a 2% gain. This suggests ETH's higher volatility worked in its favor during the recovery phase, allowing for stronger bounce-back performance. ## Risk-Return Implications | Metric | Bitcoin | Ethereum | Advantage | |--------|---------|----------|-----------| | Weekly Return | -0.31% | +2.03% | ETH | | Max Drawdown | -2.94% | -4.58% | BTC | | Volatility (Range) | 4.6% | 8.8% | BTC | | Recovery Strength | 3.3% from lows | 7.4% from lows | ETH | The data reveals a classic risk-return tradeoff: Ethereum delivered superior returns but at the cost of nearly double the volatility. Bitcoin provided more stable exposure with smaller drawdowns but limited upside capture during the recovery. ## 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.*