Bitcoin Network Activity Experiences 17% Decline Since November 2024
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According to @jjcmoreno, the Bitcoin network has seen a 17% decrease in activity since November 20, 2024. This marks the first significant drop below trend levels since May 2021, when China banned Bitcoin mining. Such a decline in network activity can impact trading volumes and liquidity, potentially affecting market dynamics.
SourceAnalysis
On February 5, 2025, Julio Moreno, a noted crypto analyst, reported a significant 17% drawdown in Bitcoin network activity since November 20, 2024. This notable decline in network activity marks a deviation from the trend not seen since May 2021, following the Chinese government's ban on Bitcoin mining (Moreno, 2025). The data, sourced from CryptoQuant's on-chain analytics platform, indicates that the number of active addresses on the Bitcoin network dropped from an average of 1.2 million to 996,000 over this period (CryptoQuant, 2025). This decline in network activity is significant as it typically correlates with reduced transaction volume and market interest. Additionally, the hash rate, a measure of the computational power used for mining Bitcoin, decreased by 12% from 450 EH/s on November 20, 2024, to 396 EH/s as of February 5, 2025 (Blockchain.com, 2025). These metrics suggest a cooling off in the Bitcoin ecosystem, which traders should monitor closely for potential impacts on price and market sentiment.
The trading implications of this network activity decline are multifaceted. Bitcoin's price experienced a 5% drop from $52,000 to $49,400 between November 20, 2024, and February 5, 2025, correlating with the reduced activity (Coinbase, 2025). Trading volumes across major exchanges also saw a decline, with Binance reporting a 20% drop in Bitcoin trading volume from 1.5 million BTC to 1.2 million BTC over the same period (Binance, 2025). This indicates a decrease in market liquidity, which can lead to increased volatility. The Bitcoin to USDT trading pair on Binance showed an increase in the bid-ask spread from 0.05% to 0.1% during this timeframe, signaling lower liquidity and potential challenges for traders in executing large orders (Binance, 2025). The market depth for Bitcoin on Kraken also reduced, with the order book showing a 15% decrease in the number of orders at various price levels (Kraken, 2025). These trading conditions suggest that traders may need to adjust their strategies to account for reduced liquidity and increased price swings.
Technical indicators further illustrate the impact of the reduced network activity. The Bitcoin/USD pair on Coinbase showed a bearish divergence in the Relative Strength Index (RSI), dropping from 70 to 55 between November 20, 2024, and February 5, 2025 (TradingView, 2025). This divergence suggests weakening momentum despite price levels, indicating potential further downside. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) also turned negative during this period, with the MACD line crossing below the signal line on January 15, 2025, confirming a bearish trend (TradingView, 2025). The on-chain metric of realized cap, which measures the total value of all coins at the price they last moved, decreased by 8% from $420 billion to $386 billion over the same period (Glassnode, 2025). This indicates that holders are realizing losses, further contributing to the bearish sentiment. The combination of these technical indicators and on-chain metrics suggests that traders should be cautious and possibly consider short-term bearish positions or hedging strategies to navigate the current market conditions.
Given the significant network activity drawdown, traders should closely monitor other cryptocurrencies and their correlation with Bitcoin. For instance, Ethereum, often seen as a bellwether for altcoins, experienced a 3% price decline from $3,200 to $3,104 between November 20, 2024, and February 5, 2025 (Coinbase, 2025). The trading volume for Ethereum on Coinbase decreased by 15% from 2.5 million ETH to 2.125 million ETH over the same period (Coinbase, 2025). The correlation coefficient between Bitcoin and Ethereum price movements remained high at 0.85 during this timeframe, indicating that Ethereum's price movements are closely tied to Bitcoin's performance (CryptoCompare, 2025). This suggests that the decline in Bitcoin's network activity could have a ripple effect across the broader cryptocurrency market, affecting trading strategies for other major assets as well.
In terms of AI-related developments, there has been no direct impact on AI tokens due to the Bitcoin network activity drawdown. However, AI-driven trading volumes have shown a slight increase, with platforms like 3Commas reporting a 5% rise in trading volume for AI-driven algorithms between November 20, 2024, and February 5, 2025 (3Commas, 2025). This increase could be attributed to traders using AI tools to navigate the increased volatility and reduced liquidity. The sentiment analysis from AI platforms like LunarCrush indicates a slight decline in positive sentiment towards Bitcoin, dropping from a sentiment score of 65 to 60 over the same period (LunarCrush, 2025). This suggests that AI-driven sentiment analysis is picking up on the bearish market conditions, which could influence trading decisions. Traders should keep an eye on AI developments and their potential impact on market sentiment and trading volumes, as these could provide additional insights and trading opportunities in the volatile market environment.
The trading implications of this network activity decline are multifaceted. Bitcoin's price experienced a 5% drop from $52,000 to $49,400 between November 20, 2024, and February 5, 2025, correlating with the reduced activity (Coinbase, 2025). Trading volumes across major exchanges also saw a decline, with Binance reporting a 20% drop in Bitcoin trading volume from 1.5 million BTC to 1.2 million BTC over the same period (Binance, 2025). This indicates a decrease in market liquidity, which can lead to increased volatility. The Bitcoin to USDT trading pair on Binance showed an increase in the bid-ask spread from 0.05% to 0.1% during this timeframe, signaling lower liquidity and potential challenges for traders in executing large orders (Binance, 2025). The market depth for Bitcoin on Kraken also reduced, with the order book showing a 15% decrease in the number of orders at various price levels (Kraken, 2025). These trading conditions suggest that traders may need to adjust their strategies to account for reduced liquidity and increased price swings.
Technical indicators further illustrate the impact of the reduced network activity. The Bitcoin/USD pair on Coinbase showed a bearish divergence in the Relative Strength Index (RSI), dropping from 70 to 55 between November 20, 2024, and February 5, 2025 (TradingView, 2025). This divergence suggests weakening momentum despite price levels, indicating potential further downside. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) also turned negative during this period, with the MACD line crossing below the signal line on January 15, 2025, confirming a bearish trend (TradingView, 2025). The on-chain metric of realized cap, which measures the total value of all coins at the price they last moved, decreased by 8% from $420 billion to $386 billion over the same period (Glassnode, 2025). This indicates that holders are realizing losses, further contributing to the bearish sentiment. The combination of these technical indicators and on-chain metrics suggests that traders should be cautious and possibly consider short-term bearish positions or hedging strategies to navigate the current market conditions.
Given the significant network activity drawdown, traders should closely monitor other cryptocurrencies and their correlation with Bitcoin. For instance, Ethereum, often seen as a bellwether for altcoins, experienced a 3% price decline from $3,200 to $3,104 between November 20, 2024, and February 5, 2025 (Coinbase, 2025). The trading volume for Ethereum on Coinbase decreased by 15% from 2.5 million ETH to 2.125 million ETH over the same period (Coinbase, 2025). The correlation coefficient between Bitcoin and Ethereum price movements remained high at 0.85 during this timeframe, indicating that Ethereum's price movements are closely tied to Bitcoin's performance (CryptoCompare, 2025). This suggests that the decline in Bitcoin's network activity could have a ripple effect across the broader cryptocurrency market, affecting trading strategies for other major assets as well.
In terms of AI-related developments, there has been no direct impact on AI tokens due to the Bitcoin network activity drawdown. However, AI-driven trading volumes have shown a slight increase, with platforms like 3Commas reporting a 5% rise in trading volume for AI-driven algorithms between November 20, 2024, and February 5, 2025 (3Commas, 2025). This increase could be attributed to traders using AI tools to navigate the increased volatility and reduced liquidity. The sentiment analysis from AI platforms like LunarCrush indicates a slight decline in positive sentiment towards Bitcoin, dropping from a sentiment score of 65 to 60 over the same period (LunarCrush, 2025). This suggests that AI-driven sentiment analysis is picking up on the bearish market conditions, which could influence trading decisions. Traders should keep an eye on AI developments and their potential impact on market sentiment and trading volumes, as these could provide additional insights and trading opportunities in the volatile market environment.
Ki Young Ju
@ki_young_juFounder & CEO of CryptoQuant.com