Bull Market in Crypto: What It Is and How to Use It for Investments

A depiction of a bull representing a bullish market in cryptocurrency, highlighting soaring prices and investor excitement.

Key Takeaways

  • A bull market is characterized by rising prices, typically defined as an increase of 20% or more from previous lows.

  • Investor behavior often turns euphoric during a bull market, leading to increased buying and speculation.

  • Understanding the stages of a bull market helps investors plan entry and exit points strategically.

  • Risk management is crucial as bull markets can lead to higher volatility and potential significant losses.

  • Historical bull markets illustrate both the opportunities for profit and the inevitable corrections that follow.

When people mention a “bull market”, they immediately envision a wild surge in prices and a festive atmosphere on exchanges. This is especially evident in crypto. A bull market is when cryptocurrency prices consistently rise, investors are jubilant, and graphs soar upward.

During such times, people rush to buy Bitcoin and altcoins en masse. They are convinced that tomorrow it will be more expensive. The key is to understand how to take advantage of this period. Then, it’s possible not just to watch others succeed but to actually profit.

Today, we’ll analyze how a bull market works, why it occurs, and how to keep a level head during moments of collective euphoria.

What is a Bull Market in Crypto

A bull market in crypto occurs when the prices of coins rise a minimum of 20% from previous lows. This is the official threshold. In practice, the growth is often much higher.

For example, at the beginning of 2023, Bitcoin was priced at $16,000, but by April 2024, it was already crossing $73,000. This is a classic bull market.

When everyone is talking about crypto, the media writes headlines like “new highs”, and friends are asking how to set up a wallet — that’s when the market is bullish.

Such periods are always accompanied by positive news. ETFs are launched, major banks buy Bitcoin, and institutions enter the market. Everyone anticipates new highs.

As a result, the total capitalization of the crypto market exceeded $2.5 trillion in September 2024. Bitcoin stabilized around $65,000–$70,000.

But it’s important to remember — after any rise, a decline follows.

Bull Run — In Simple Terms

A bull run is slang for a period when crypto prices rise without stopping. Just like a raging bull in the arena. Prices shoot up, and investors are buying coins, afraid to miss the moment.

A bull run is not just growth; it’s market psychosis. When everyone believes: tomorrow will be more expensive, and even neighbors start buying altcoins.

Several legendary bull runs are known in crypto:

  • In 2017, Bitcoin rose from $900 to $19,700. The growth was x10 in a year. 
  • In 2020, a new bull run began — Bitcoin soared from $9,000 to $64,000. 
  • In 2021, the NFT boom occurred. Dogecoin rose from $0.01 to $0.73 in just six months. 

During a bull run, people can truly make millions. But millions are also lost by those who enter at the highs and catch a correction.

A bull run is not a celebration for everyone. One must learn to manage their emotions.

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What a Bull Market Means: 3 Key Traits

A bull market is when the crypto market is “taking off”, and the mood of participants is at its peak. In crypto, this term means not just price growth but a real euphoria: everyone is buying, everyone is waiting for “To the moon”, and it seems like crypto will never drop again. But it’s important to understand what signs indicate the onset of a bullish trend.

Three key traits:

  1. Strong and steady price growth of assets
    In a bull market, most cryptocurrencies show growth of at least 20–50%, while top projects can increase several times. In 2021, Bitcoin’s rise from $10,000 to $60,000 was a classic example of a bull cycle. In 2024–2025, many altcoins have already shown +300% and higher in just a few months.

This is not random pumping but a long-term trend with new highs and increasing interest from both retail and institutional players.

  1. Increased buying activity and mass entry of investors
    When the market enters a bull phase, not only experienced traders but also newcomers, funds, influencers, and “the neighbor who previously didn’t believe in crypto” start participating. Trading volumes increase, new wallets appear, and exchanges record an influx of registrations. Crypto becomes the number one topic in news and social media again.

In 2025, you will witness another wave of new ICOs, listings, DeFi projects, and GameFi startups — all signs of an active phase of a bull market.

  1. Optimism and euphoria in the market
    The most treacherous trait of a bull market is the crowd’s mood. Everyone is convinced that “crypto is forever”, forecasts of Bitcoin reaching $500,000 emerge, and any drop is seen as “the perfect time to buy”.

Media, bloggers, and even your friends start talking about cryptocurrencies, while Google Trends shows an increase in searches for “how to buy Bitcoin”.

Important: at this moment, many forget about the risks. But experienced investors know — as soon as mass optimism reaches a peak, the market can unexpectedly reverse.

What to Remember During the Bull Market in 2025

In 2025, the market will again experience a growth phase, but if you see:

  • hysterical FOMO (fear of missing out); 
  • too sudden price pumps without news; 
  • “scammers” and influencers promising “easy money”; 

The Bull Cycle — Stages of Development

A bull market in crypto doesn’t appear suddenly. It’s not “today bearish — tomorrow bullish”. Each cycle goes through certain stages, and if you understand them, you have the chance not only to profit but also to exit in time when the crowd is still buying at highs.

In 2025, the crypto market shows signs of bullish dynamics again, and here’s how this process typically unfolds:

Stage 1. Beginning of recovery after the bear market

After a prolonged decline, prices stop updating lows. The market has a neutral or cautiously pessimistic mood — most investors are still afraid to return.

At this moment:

  • Whales and institutions begin to accumulate positions; 
  • Media and analysts argue about whether the “crypto winter” period has ended; 
  • The market trades sideways, and trading volumes remain low; 
  • The market appears dull, but this is when smart money enters the game. 

If you monitor on-chain data, during this period, you’ll see large withdrawals of coins from exchanges and an increase in staking.

Stage 2. Steady growth and influx of new investors

The market breaks key resistance levels.
Positive news emerges — for example, the launch of Bitcoin-ETFs, major partnerships, Mass launches of DeFi projects. New participants begin to enter the market:

  • Retail investors;; 
  • Newcomers who have “heard that crypto is rising again”; 
  • Traders who see the trend and join in. 

Trading volumes rise, tokens are “buzzing”, and news headlines about new records appear more frequently. Crypto Twitter and YouTube are filled with phrases like “This is just the beginning” and “Don’t miss out”.

Stage 3. Peak values and end of the cycle

The final phase — when the market is overheated. This is evident by:

  • Unrealistic forecasts (in 2021, people expected Bitcoin to hit $250,000, by 2025 discussions began about $1 million); 
  • Massive FOMO and euphoria; 
  • The emergence of many “pseudo-experts” and “crypto-gurus”; 
  • A sharp rise in meme coins and scam projects. 

Prices reach extreme levels, and then a correction follows — gentle or sharp, but it always comes. Most often, this marks the beginning of a bear cycle.

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Signs of a Bull Market in Crypto

In crypto, a bull market is impossible to miss if you know what to look for. It’s not just a daily price increase — it’s a full cycle with clear indicators. Here’s how to tell that you’ve entered the phase of crypto euphoria and that the “rocket is about to launch”:

  1. Prices of top cryptocurrencies rise for weeks

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other major coins show steady growth. Not a one-day pump, but steady updates of local highs week after week.

For example, in early 2025, Bitcoin once again broke the $75,000 mark, while Ethereum approached $5,000 — and this is not a random spike, but a clear signal of rising interest.

  1. Trading volumes on exchanges soar sharply

When a bull market begins, exchanges record record trading volumes. On Binance, Bybit, OKX, and other platforms, trades worth tens of billions of dollars occur daily. This means fresh capital is flowing into the market.

  1. Media and social networks write about crypto every day again

News, analytics, YouTube, Telegram channels, TikTok, Twitter — everyone talks about crypto, trading, and “new x-multiples”.
Trending words include “Bitcoin”, “alt season”, “Ethereum”, and “new highs”.

  1. New investors enter the market

During a bull market, those who have never bought cryptocurrencies before start entering the market:

  • New retail investors; 
  • Institutional investors; 
  • Funds and large companies. 

Registrations on exchanges increase, the number of new wallets rises, and search queries for “how to buy Bitcoin” spike sharply.

  1. A wave of hyped projects and tokens emerges

Every bull cycle is accompanied by the emergence of hundreds of new altcoins, NFT collections, ICOs, and DeFi startups.
Projects with flashy promises and meme tokens that make +1000% in a week emerge.

  1. Bitcoin updates historical highs

One of the main confirmations of a bullish trend is when Bitcoin surpasses its previous ATH (all-time high).
In 2025, analysts already expect Bitcoin to cross $100,000 — this is a classic trigger for the start of mass FOMO.

  1. “Alt season” begins — altcoins grow

As soon as Bitcoin gains strength and stops dominating too heavily, investors start seeking “new x-multiples” in altcoins. BTC dominance falls, and capital flows into Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, GameFi, and DeFi projects.

  1. Mass expectation of “just a little more and we take off”

The most treacherous feeling during a bull market is euphoria. At this moment, everyone is convinced that crypto will rise endlessly, and even newcomers become “trading gurus”.

Important: when you see all these signs simultaneously — the market is indeed bullish. But it’s at this moment that professionals start to take profits because they know: every bull cycle ends with a correction.

How to Make Money in a Bull Market

In a bull market, it’s not those who hear about growth in the news that profit, but those who understand the mechanics of the cycle beforehand and act strategically. In 2025, when crypto is once again “on top”, here are the tactics that truly work:

  1. Buying in early stages — when the market is still calm

The biggest profits are made by those who enter the market during fear and boredom, rather than during hype. This is the accumulation phase, when:

  • The media doesn’t report on crypto; 
  • No one believes in growth; 
  • Prices are stagnating after a bear market. 

If you can learn to recognize this stage — you can buy assets “on sale” and take profits when everyone starts shouting “To the Moon!”.

  1. Long-term investments (HODL strategy)

An old but effective strategy is to buy strong assets and simply hold them throughout the bull cycle. In 2021, those who bought Bitcoin at $10,000 and held until $60,000 made x6. In 2025, the story repeats — many investors are already making x3–x5 on their positions.

The main thing is to have an exit plan and not get carried away by greed when the market overheats.

  1. Trading on margin — but with caution

If you are an experienced trader and understand risk management, you can use leverage (up to x3–x5) during a bull market. This allows you to increase potential profits without the need to hold a large capital.

But remember:

  • Leveraging also amplifies losses; 
  • Always use stop-losses; 
  • Don’t use “your whole deposit” — the risk of liquidation is very high. 
  1. Searching for promising altcoins and “new x-multiples”

During a bull market, smaller projects and altcoins that provide x10 or even x50 within months grow particularly vigorously. These can include:

  • Layer-2 solutions; 
  • GameFi and SocialFi projects; 
  • New DeFi protocols; 
  • Meme tokens (but with a cool head and a limited budget). 

The key is to study the whitepaper, the team, and the tokenomics to avoid scams.

  1. Selling during hype — lock in profits on time

Everything that grows several times will eventually start to fall.
The most common mistake for newcomers is waiting for “just a little more”. But the market does not grow indefinitely. Experienced investors always partially or fully exit their positions when:

  • The media writes extensively about a “new crypto era”; 
  • Friends who previously showed no interest in crypto start asking “where to invest”; 
  • The market displays excessive optimism and records. 

Rule: it’s better to lock in profits not greedily — exiting at 20% below the peak is preferable to waiting for a crash.

 

 

Risks of a Bull Market

A bull market may seem like a time of “easy money” — prices are shooting up, the news is all positive, and it feels like crypto will never fall again. But this is precisely when most investors make fatal mistakes. In 2025, the scenario is the same as in previous cycles: risks always lurk behind growth.

Here are the main traps of a bull market:

  1. Market overheating and bubble formation

When the market rises too quickly and without objective reasons, a price bubble forms. During a bull cycle, you will see:

  • Altcoins with billions in capitalization without a working product; 
  • Meme tokens that have risen 100 times in a week; 
  • Influencers claiming “Bitcoin will reach a million”. 

The outcome is always the same — a correction or total collapse, leaving the crowd with overpriced tokens.

  1. Sudden reversals and dumps

A classic scenario in the crypto market is falling by 30–50% in a day, even amid a bull trend. This can be due to:

  • Profit-taking by major players (whales); 
  • Panic among retail investors; 
  • Unexpected negative news. 

In 2025, there have already been several instances where the market corrected within hours amid general euphoria, liquidating margin positions and wiping out the deposits of inexperienced traders.

  1. Emotional decisions and FOMO

In a bull market, the primary psychological enemy operates — fear of missing out (FOMO). Many begin to buy:

  • At the highs, when an asset has already risen 3–5 times; 
  • Without analysis, “just because everyone is buying”; 
  • Without considering exit plans and risks. 

It’s precisely on FOMO that experienced investors earn, selling when the crowd starts buying thoughtlessly.

  1. Fake news and fraudulent projects

Every bull cycle is accompanied by a wave of scams:

  • Fake ICOs and IDOs; 
  • Counterfeit accounts on Telegram and Twitter; 
  • Fake news about “new partnerships”; 
  • “Gurus” and “analysts” selling paid signals. 

In 2025, the number of scam projects is again on the rise — scammers know that in a bull market, people are less cautious and fall prey to greed.

  1. Greed and lack of exit strategy

The most common mistake during a bull market is the desire to “earn just a little more”. Newcomers and even experienced traders often fail to take profits, thinking that the growth will continue indefinitely. The result: price drops, panic, losses, and regret.

The rule is simple: in a bull market, it’s not the one who bought in early that profits, but the one who sells on time.

Historical Examples of Bull Markets in Crypto

The crypto market has repeatedly shown how, in a short period, one can change their financial reality — or lose everything if one doesn’t know when to exit. Let’s look at the most striking examples of crypto bull runs that have made history.

Bitcoin in 2013 — The First Major Surge

In early 2013, Bitcoin was only $145. In just 7 months, its price skyrocketed to $1,200. This was the first major bull cycle:

  • People began discussing Bitcoin in the media for the first time; 
  • The first speculators and crypto enthusiasts entered the market; 
  • After a swift rise, there was a drop of nearly 85%. 

This was a lesson for many: crypto can rise quickly, but it falls even faster.

Bitcoin and the Crypto Market in 2017 — Mass Recognition

The real hype occurred in 2017:

  • Bitcoin rose from $1,000 to $19,700 over 12 months; 
  • Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, and other altcoins grew many times over; 
  • Millions of people worldwide learned the word “cryptocurrency” for the first time; 
  • ICO projects raised hundreds of millions of dollars. 

The bull run ended with a collapse in 2018 — Bitcoin lost 80% of its value, and thousands of projects went bankrupt. But this cycle became the starting point for the emergence of institutional investors and the development of the industry.

The DeFi Boom in 2020 — A New Era of Finance

In 2020, the crypto market underwent a DeFi revolution:

  • Projects like Uniswap, Aave, and Compound rose by 10–50 times; 
  • The total value locked (TVL) in DeFi grew from $1 billion to $25 billion in six months; 
  • Thousands of new tokens and protocols emerged, facilitating decentralized lending, farming, and liquidity mining. 

This bull trend initiated a new class of crypto assets and the mass adoption of DeFi.

The NFT Boom in 2021 — Digital Culture on the Blockchain

In 2021, the market saw a new bull run — this time around NFTs:

  • The Bored Ape Yacht Club collection was selling for $200 in April. By September, the minimum price reached $200,000. 
  • NFT trading volumes exceeded $10 billion over the year. 
  • Crypto became a part of pop culture — celebrities, brands, and musicians got involved in NFTs. 

At the end of 2021, a correction began, and the NFT market “deflated”, but this cycle brought a new audience to the industry.

What These Examples Teach Us

All historical bull runs demonstrate one thing: during a bull market, it’s possible to change your financial life in just a year or two.
But they also teach us:

  • The market always moves in cycles; 
  • Euphoria and greed at the end of a cycle lead to significant losses; 
  • Those who understand when to exit are the ones who make money. 

In 2025, the market is once again showing signs of bullish sentiment. The question is whether you will draw the right conclusions from the past.

The Future of Bull Markets in Crypto

In crypto, every bull market changes the rules of the game and gives an opportunity to profit to those who can identify the trend before it becomes a news topic. What do analysts say in 2025 about the prospects for the next bull run?

Forecasts and Reasons for Possible Growth

According to Bloomberg Crypto Outlook (September 2024) and other analytical agencies, the likelihood of a new bull cycle in 2025 remains high. Why?

  1. Bitcoin Halving in April 2024
    Historically, every halving — the reduction in miners’ rewards by half — has launched a new growth cycle. In 2013, 2017, and 2021, a bull market began 6-12 months after the halving. In 2025, we see this scenario again: limited supply, rising demand, gradual price increases.
  2. Approval of Bitcoin ETFs in the US and Europe
    Major regulators have allowed the launch of spot Bitcoin ETFs. This has opened doors for institutional investors: pension funds, banks, family offices. As of late 2024, the inflow of capital into the crypto market through ETFs has exceeded $15 billion.
  3. Development of Web3 and DePIN Projects
    By 2025, the crypto industry will no longer be solely about trading and speculation.
    New trends include:
  • DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks); 
  • Web3 social networks; 
  • GameFi 2.0; 
  • Real business models and useful applications on the blockchain. 

These sectors attract millions of users and fresh capital.

  1. Integration of crypto into traditional payment systems
    In 2024, giants like PayPal, Visa, and Stripe began implementing cryptocurrency payments. Now, buying goods with USDT or BTC has become a reality in hundreds of online stores and apps.

What Risks Remain in 2025

Despite the positive signals, the bull market may face serious obstacles:

Increased Regulation in the US and EU
In 2024, new rules were enacted for crypto exchanges and derivatives platforms. More restrictions are expected in 2025: strict KYC, a ban on high leverage, and limits for unqualified investors.

Global Economic Crises
The global economy remains under pressure from inflation, recession, and geopolitical conflicts. If a liquidity crisis begins, investors will quickly sell risk assets — including crypto.

Consequences of Scams and Collapses of 2022–2023
Many investors still harbor distrust toward the market following the collapses of Terra, FTX, and other high-profile failures. This may hinder mass capital inflow.

How to Prepare for the Next Bull Market

If you want not just to observe from the sidelines but to be part of the next bull run — begin preparing now:

  • Learn to analyze the market and understand what phase it is in; 
  • Monitor on-chain data, fear, and greed indices; 
  • Study new trends — DePIN, Web3, DeFi 2.0; 
  • Develop your entry and exit strategy in advance; 
  • Do not succumb to emotions and remember: those who keep a cool head when everyone around them is losing theirs are the ones who succeed.

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What is a bull market in cryptocurrency?

A bull market in cryptocurrency refers to a period of consistently rising prices, usually marked by gains of 20% or more from previous lows. This surge often brings heightened investor enthusiasm and participation as confidence grows in the market’s upward trajectory.

What are the signs of a bull market?

Signs of a bull market include sustained price increases, increased trading volumes, growing interest in cryptocurrency from mainstream media, and the entry of new investors. Additionally, announcements of significant developments like ETF approvals can also stimulate bullish sentiment.

How can investors profit during a bull market?

Investors can profit during a bull market by purchasing assets early, holding onto strong-performing cryptocurrencies, and strategically selling as prices peak. Techniques such as dollar-cost averaging, identifying emerging altcoins, and using stop-loss orders can help manage risks while maximizing gains.

What are common risks associated with bull markets?

Bull markets come with risks such as overbought conditions leading to price corrections, emotional trading driven by fear of missing out (FOMO), and the potential for market manipulation. It’s crucial for investors to remain vigilant and not succumb to greed when prices rise sharply.

What historical examples illustrate key aspects of bull markets?

Key historical examples include the massive price run of Bitcoin in 2017 and the Ethereum boom during the decentralized finance (DeFi) surge in 2020. These episodes showcase how rapid growth can attract public attention and investment but also result in steep post-peak corrections.

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