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Viewership of crypto-related content on YouTube has fallen to its lowest point since January 2021 after a sharp decline over the past three months. Data shared by market observers shows a sustained retreat in audience engagement across major crypto-focused channels.
The drop reflects weakening retail participation during the current market cycle, even as institutional activity remains visible. Is the collapse in crypto social engagement signaling a lasting shift in who now drives digital asset markets?
On Sunday, Benjamin Cowen, founder of ITC Crypto, published data showing a 30-day moving average of views across several crypto YouTube channels. The figures showed viewership falling to levels last seen more than four years ago. Cowen stated that the decline does not stem from platform-specific algorithm changes. He said similar engagement drops have occurred on X.
Cowen’s comments followed weeks of reduced interaction across social platforms tied to digital assets. The data suggested that crypto-related interest has continued to weaken despite periods of market stability. Analysts tracking online engagement said the numbers align with broader patterns of lower retail involvement during this phase of the cycle.
Crypto content creators have also reported consistent declines across platforms. Crypto YouTuber Tom Crown stated that engagement has declined across multiple social networks. He noted a clear local decline beginning in October of last year, adding the social metrics have remained well below earlier peaks.
Crown also stated that crypto social interest has remained in a prolonged downturn since 2021. According to him, engagement never returned close to the highs recorded during the previous bull cycle. He described current levels as consistent with bear market conditions.
Bitcoin investor Polaris XBT echoed this view. He said current engagement reflects bear market levels of social interest. Data shows that crypto YouTube traffic remains far below levels seen during the strong retail-driven rallies of 2020 and 2021.
Several creators pointed to retail fatigue as a factor behind the decline. YouTube creator Jesus Martinez said he grew his channel in early 2022; none of his later videos matched the reach of content produced during the 2021 market peak. His experience aligned with broader platform data.
TikTok creator Cloud9 Markets said scams and pump-and-dump schemes involving altcoins have discouraged retail participants. He emphasized that many retail traders feel exhausted after repeated losses. As a result, engagement with crypto-related content has dropped.
Cointelegraph’s head of social media, Marc Shawn Brown, hinted at some investors shifting toward macro assets. He highlighted how audiences now seek returns rather than speculative narratives. Brown added that several commodities outperformed Bitcoin during 2025, based on return data he cited.
Despite weaker engagement, some data points suggest stabilizing sentiment. On-chain analytics platform Santiment said social sentiment toward Bitcoin has shown mild signs of recovery. The firm stated that sentiment has become gradually more positive in recent weeks.
Santiment also noted the $90,000 price level remaining critical for maintaining retail optimism. Analysts said sustained movement above that level could influence sentiment metrics.
In contrast, Santiment reported that sentiment around Ethereum remains scattered. The platform said it has not observed consistent social trends tied to Ether. Data suggests uncertainty continues across retail-focused Ethereum discussions.
The ongoing drop in crypto YouTube viewership reflects broader shifts in online engagement. Market observers continue to track whether retail interest can recover as price action evolves and sentiment indicators adjust.
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Crypto YouTube views have dropped to five-year lows as retail interest weakens across social platforms. Data and creator commentary point to bear market sentiment and reduced retail participation while institutions dominate activity. The trend suggests social engagement now closely tracks broader shifts in crypto market structure and sentiment.
