A broad social media retreat

Viewership of crypto-related content on YouTube has fallen to its lowest level since early 2021, marking a sharp retreat in retail interest and underscoring how deeply disengaged everyday investors have become during the current market cycle.

Data shared Sunday by ITC Crypto founder Benjamin Cowen shows the 30-day moving average of views across major crypto YouTube channels has steadily declined over the past three months. Cowen stressed that the trend goes beyond platform-specific changes. “So it’s not just X and an algorithm update,” he said, pointing to a broader collapse in crypto engagement across social media.

The slump is not confined to YouTube. Crypto YouTuber Tom Crown described the downturn as systemic, noting that engagement has “collapsed across all platforms” and has been trending lower since October. In his view, crypto’s social interest never truly recovered from the 2021 peak and has effectively remained in a prolonged bear market ever since.

Bitcoin investor Polaris XBT echoed that sentiment, calling the current environment “literal bear-market levels of social interest.” The data reinforces a growing perception that retail traders are sitting on the sidelines, while institutional players increasingly dominate market activity.

For many creators, the decline reflects deeper fatigue among retail investors. Jesus Martinez, who began growing his YouTube channel in early 2022, said that while he has seen bursts of engagement, none came close to the explosive viewership during the 2021 bull run.

Others point to erosion of trust. TikTok creator Cloud9 Markets blamed the downturn on years of scams and pump-and-dump schemes tied to low-quality altcoins, which have left many small investors burned.

“Retail is tired of getting rekt.”

That retreat may also be economic, as many retail investors appear to have shifted toward precious metals and macro assets in search of steadier returns. In 2025, Bitcoin fell roughly 7%, while assets like gold, silver, palladium and rhodium significantly outperformed — weakening crypto’s appeal to risk-averse participants.

Is there still hope for crypto?

Despite the bleak viewership data, signs of stabilization are emerging. On-chain analytics firm Santiment reported that social sentiment toward Bitcoin is slowly turning more positive, suggesting selling pressure and negativity may be easing. Analysts say the $90,000 price level will be key in determining whether retail confidence can rebuild.

Sentiment around Ethereum, however, remains fragmented, with no clear directional trend forming yet — another sign that broad retail enthusiasm has yet to return.

For now, crypto YouTube’s collapse reflects a market in reset mode rather than total abandonment. Historically, retail attention has followed price momentum, not the other way around. Whether a new catalyst — macro, regulatory or technological — can reignite that interest remains an open question. But until then, the silence on crypto YouTube may be the clearest signal yet that the speculative frenzy of 2021 is firmly in the past.