Bitcoin dominance: what the metric shows and what it does not

Bitcoin dominance is BTC market capitalization as a share of the total tracked crypto market. A rising value means Bitcoin is gaining share relative to other assets, but it does not necessarily mean the BTC price is rising.

The metric depends on market composition. New token listings, supply changes and capitalization methodology can change the result even without sharp moves in major coins.

Dominance is useful as context alongside BTC, Ethereum, stablecoin and total-market trends. By itself it is not a buy or sell signal.

When comparing periods, examine both dominance and total market capitalization. The same BTC-share move can occur in both rising and falling markets.