Bitcoin Is Up 7.1% and Solana 5.3% This Month. Ethereum Is Down 0.7% and XRP 1.4%. What Separates Them?
Four major cryptocurrencies split into two camps this month, but the weekly numbers tell a completely different story and reveal which of the apparent winners may be living on borrowed time.
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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is up 7.1% over the past 30 days, while Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) is up 5.3%. In contrast, Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) is down 0.7%, and XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is down 1.4%. This places Bitcoin and Solana on one side of the divide while Ethereum and XRP sit on the other.
Although the monthly numbers show a clear separation, the weekly figures tell a different story. This raises a question: What differentiates the two rising cryptocurrencies from those declining, and how reliable is this divide?
Ethereum and XRP Slipped Below Zero on a Rolling 30-Day Window
Before the latest update, Ethereum was up 0.8% over 30 days and XRP 1.3%. Both shifted into negative territory at the same time, making this new divide worth noting, as it could change quickly.
The 30-day figure is a rolling measurement that compares the current price with the price from 30 days ago. Each day, the starting point moves forward by one day. This means that if a cryptocurrency performed strongly a month ago, that higher price becomes the new benchmark once the window rolls past it, so the 30-day number can fall even if the price has remained stable recently.
Therefore, Ethereum and XRP slipping below zero likely reflects the window’s structure more than recent trading activity.
Bitcoin Held Up Best on the Week While Solana Fell 9.8%
Over the past week, all four cryptocurrencies have faced losses. Bitcoin dropped only 0.9%, while Ethereum fell 4.3% as it lost ground to Bitcoin. XRP is down 6.9%, and Solana has fallen the most, down 9.8%. This weekly assessment presents a 1-to-3 split, with Bitcoin holding its ground while the others tumble between 4% and 10%.
Solana is an interesting case here. While it ranks second for the month, it ranks last for the week, so its monthly gain may not be as strong as it initially seems.
Fund Flows Line Up With the 30-Day Order
Fund flows generally match monthly gains more closely than any other time frame. Fund flows refer to the net amount of money moving into or out of funds that invest in cryptocurrencies. This metric sheds light on investor behavior.
On October 13, 2026, Bitcoin funds attracted a substantial $175.6 million inflow, marking their best day in October. Meanwhile, Ethereum funds saw their first inflow after ten consecutive outflow sessions.
However, Solana funds saw outflows in eight of nine sessions in October. XRP funds posted a net flow of zero in five of nine sessions, with trading value on October 13 hitting just $20.5 million, the month’s low.
As a result, Bitcoin shows the strongest buying interest and the best monthly performance. Ethereum’s recent turnaround after a long stretch of outflows indicates it is struggling to stabilize. Solana’s steady fund outflows reflect its weaker performance over the last week, and XRP’s stagnant trading suggests investors are largely on the sidelines.
Why Are Bitcoin and Solana Performing Well While Ethereum and XRP Are Declining?
The key difference appears to be demand for funds. Bitcoin is the only cryptocurrency among the four attracting substantial new investments. The other three cryptocurrencies are clustered more closely than monthly trends might suggest. Solana’s monthly gain came despite a final week in which it fell more than the other three.
For investors, weekly performance may be more telling than monthly data, as 30-day statistics can shift based solely on older prices. The significant takeaway is that only Bitcoin enjoys clear support from its funds.
Ethereum’s first inflow in ten sessions is an important signal to monitor; if this trend continues and its 30-day reading climbs back into positive territory, the balance could shift to a 3-to-1 split. Conversely, if Solana continues to see outflows, its 5.3% monthly gain could quickly diminish, and XRP will need real inflow sessions to make any upward progress.
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Sam Daodu is a crypto analyst who's spent nearly a decade making blockchain understandable—no easy task when most whitepapers read like fever dreams. He writes for 24/7 Wall St., covering Bitcoin, altcoins, and crypto market analysis for investors. Before crypto, he was a tech writer (back when explaining "the cloud" was peak innovation). Since 2018, he's written for CoinTelegraph, Yahoo Finance, The Block, Cryptonews, Zypto, Rain, and more—basically anywhere people want crypto news without the headache. Sam runs MacLabs Marketing, a content agency for crypto brands tired of sounding like AI wrote their website. He also publishes free crypto education on his site for Web3 enthusiasts who think "gas fees" is a typo. When he's not writing or staring at charts, Sam's either: - Watching anime (currently convinced One Piece has better tokenomics than most altcoins) - At the gym sculpting himself into a Greek god - Listening to the music your mum warned you only bad boys listen to Connect: LinkedIn | Email | MacLabs Marketing
