Bitcoin and gold are currently the worst-performing major assets of 2026, with declines of 7.3% and 7.5% respectively. According to data from strategist Charlie Bilello, this marks the first time in his records since 2011 that both assets have occupied the bottom of the performance table simultaneously.
In contrast, other asset classes have shown growth this year. A basket of commodities rose by 52.5%, US large-cap stocks increased by 12.3%, and short-term Treasury bills yielded a 2.9% return. Currently, only 57% of the 21 tracked asset classes remain in positive territory for 2026.
Gold prices dropped below $4,000 for the first time since July, closing at $3,995.81 on Friday. This follows a peak above $5,400 earlier in the year and a 63.7% gain in 2025. Bitcoin is trading at $80,472, which is approximately 35% below its peak of over $126,000 reached last October.
Market analysts attribute the pressure on these assets to rising oil prices and interest rate expectations. Brent crude reached $116 per barrel amid geopolitical tensions. Traders currently estimate a 68% probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike in December, which impacts non-yielding assets like gold and Bitcoin.
Despite the current performance, long-term data since 2011 shows Bitcoin has delivered an average annual return of 120.6%, while gold has averaged 6.3%. The final rankings for 2026 remain subject to change as there are two months remaining in the calendar year.
