Top Crypto Assets Are More Divided Than They Look: Median Down 15%, Average Up 14%

Crypto market performance in 2026 is reportedly being distorted by a small number of exceptional winners.
Bitwise's Matt Hougan says the median return among the top 20 crypto assets is approximately -15% year to date, even though the average return is positive at 14%.
Strong performers such as $HYPE and $ZEC are helping lift the average, masking weaker performance across much of the group.
The difference matters because averages can be heavily influenced by outliers, while the median provides a clearer picture of how a typical asset has performed.
A positive average therefore does not necessarily indicate a broad market rally.
The figures suggest that asset selection has been particularly important this year, with gains concentrated in a relatively small group of cryptocurrencies.