Global crypto activity has fallen significantly im Q1 2026 due to economic pressure and geopolitical tensions.
The decline in the market shows that crypto use is now strongly tied to global financial conditions. According to the details published by Trmlabs, in Q1 2026 the total global retail crypto volume dropped to about $979 billion, which is an 11% fall compared to the same period in 2025.
This drop is the second straight quarter of decline in the crypto market, showing that there is a continued slowdown in the market.
Source: Trmlabs
The main reason appears to be weak global economic conditions. Higher interest rates, a stronger US dollar, and must importantly lower investor confidence due to speculative trading across most regions. Bitcoin also fell about 22% during the quarter.
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So far, The United States remains the country with the largest crypto market with about $213 billion in volume, even though it declined by about 11%. South Korea, Russia, India, and Brazil followed. Some developed countries like the US, UK, and Germany saw very huge drops while emerging markets like India were more stable.
Source: Trmlabs
Turkey was the only major country that actually grew, increasing by 7%. India stood out as well, falling only 6%, showing steady demand driven by everyday use rather than speculation.
Other Countries Q1 Crypto Usage
Venezuela has seen a continous usage in digital assets. Infact overtime, the country had started to use crypto as a financial survival tool.
The country ranked 17th globally with about $17.9 billion in activity. Most of this activity is based on stablecoins like USDT. Around 90% of peer-to-peer trading listings are tied to dollar-backed tokens.
Europe’s usuage had also increased due to the rise in euro-backed stablecoins. Their monthly volume grew from $69 million in early 2025 to $777 million in 2026. This growth is still small compared to dollar stablecoins, but it is increasing quickly. The growth is linked to the new European crypto regulations (MiCA).
Also Read: Stablecoin Surge as DoorDash and Stripe Drive Shift in Global Payments
