CoinMarketCap’s Crypto Fear and Greed Index has fallen to 9, keeping the market deep in “Extreme Fear.” The reading is down from 15 a week earlier and far below last month’s neutral level of 41. The index was at 8 yesterday, while the yearly low of 5 was recorded on Feb. 6.
That gap is striking. Prices in major tokens have stabilized off recent lows, but market sentiment has not recovered with them. For now, the index is showing persistent caution even as some price action has improved.
Sentiment stays weak even as prices rebound
CoinMarketCap presents the indicator as a broad gauge of crypto market mood, using a 0 to 100 scale. Lower readings reflect fear, while higher readings point to greed. A print below 10 puts the market in one of its weakest sentiment zones of the year.
The current setup shows how far psychology can drift from price performance. Total crypto market capitalization has moved back above $2.4 trillion, yet the mood remains heavily defensive, suggesting traders are still hesitant to trust the rebound.
Five inputs feed the index reading
According to CoinMarketCap, the index draws on five core components: price momentum across the top 10 non-stablecoin assets, forward-looking volatility through BVIV and EVIV for Bitcoin and Ethereum, options put/call ratios, the stablecoin supply ratio, and CoinMarketCap’s own social trend and engagement data.
The company says extreme fear can point to undervalued asset prices, while extreme greed can indicate stretched valuations. At the same time, it also states that the Fear and Greed Index is not a standalone market indicator. It is meant to be used with technical analysis, capital flows, and macro conditions rather than treated as a direct trading trigger.
Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana hold above recent lows
In spot trading, Bitcoin was near $70,505 with about $42.8 billion in 24-hour volume. Ethereum traded around $2,096 on roughly $20.9 billion in turnover. Solana changed hands near $87.6, with a 24-hour range of about $86.2 to $88.6.
CoinMarketCap also noted that Bitcoin recently reclaimed the $71,000 area after last week’s sell-off. That leaves the market in an unusual position: prices have bounced, but sentiment is still near panic levels. For traders, the latest reading works more as a marker of market mood than as a clean directional signal.