Bitcoin has seen a weak performance in 2026, coinciding with significant increases in both metals and semiconductor stocks, leading to concerns about the cryptocurrency's ongoing decline.
By James Van Straten|Edited by Jamie CrawleyUpdated May 27, 2026, 9:33 a.m. Published May 27, 2026, 9:12 a.m. 1 min readMake preferred on Semiconductor (Unsplash)Key Points:
- Bitcoin has experienced an 11% decline year-to-date and a nearly 30% drop over the past year, while metals and semiconductor shares have surged.
- Gold peaked at an all-time high of $5,600 per ounce in January before retracting to about $4,486, while silver reached a high of $120 per ounce and now trades around $76.
- Companies like TSMC and Broadcom have now surpassed Bitcoin in market cap, with Micron Technology recently achieving a valuation exceeding $1 trillion amidst the AI and semiconductor boom.
Currently, Bitcoin BTC$75,807.15 has dropped to the 13th position among the largest global assets, with its value around $76,000 and a market capitalization of $1.5 trillion.
In 2026, BTC has struggled significantly, with an 11% decline so far this year and nearly 30% over the last 12 months, as investors have shifted their capital to other high-performing sectors.
During this time, precious metals have been major beneficiaries. Gold reached a record high of $5,600 per ounce in January before settling back to around $4,486, while silver hit a peak of $120 per ounce and is now trading near $76.
The surge in metals has propelled silver to become the fifth largest asset globally by market capitalization, reflecting strong demand for traditional safe-haven investments amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
The rapid growth in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor stocks has far outpaced Bitcoin's performance. The so-called "Magnificent Seven" tech companies have continued their upward trajectory, with the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF rising 33% over the past year.
Leading semiconductor firms like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Broadcom (AVGO) have each surpassed Bitcoin in market capitalization, currently valued at around $2 trillion, ranking them eighth and ninth globally, respectively.
Micron Technology (MU) has recently joined the ranks of semiconductor companies with a valuation exceeding $1 trillion, while Samsung, valued at approximately $1.3 trillion, is now just behind Bitcoin.