The VIX is Cboe’s index of the volatility that traders expect in US stocks, based on S&P 500 option prices, and it jumps when options become more expensive.1 This ranks the 3,077 trading days since September 2014 by the size of the VIX’s one-day rise and shows what bitcoin did on the 15 biggest.
Data as of · 3,077 trading days, Sep 18, 2014 to Oct 28, 2026 · VIX closes from Cboe · bitcoin daily closes (UTC) from Yahoo Finance
| Rank | Date | VIX, one day | VIX, prior → close | Bitcoin, same day | Bitcoin, prior → close | Bitcoin | Fed meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Feb 5, 2018 | ▲ +115.6% | 17.31 → 37.32 | ▼ −15.97% | $8,277 → $6,955 | Bitcoin down | — |
| 2 | Dec 18, 2024 | ▲ +74.0% | 15.87 → 27.62 | ▼ −5.75% | $106,141 → $100,042 | Bitcoin down | FOMC decision day |
| 3 | Aug 5, 2024 | ▲ +64.9% | 23.39 → 38.57 | ▼ −7.10% | $58,117 → $53,991 | Bitcoin down | — |
| 4 | Jan 27, 2021 | ▲ +61.6% | 23.02 → 37.21 | ▼ −6.56% | $32,570 → $30,433 | Bitcoin down | FOMC decision day |
| 5 | Nov 26, 2021 | ▲ +54.0% | 18.58 → 28.62 | ▼ −6.47% | $57,275 → $53,570 | Bitcoin down | — |
| 6 | Apr 4, 2025 | ▲ +50.9% | 30.02 → 45.31 | ▲ +0.89% | $83,103 → $83,844 | Bitcoin up | — |
| 7 | Jun 24, 2016 | ▲ +49.3% | 17.25 → 25.76 | ▲ +6.62% | $623.98 → $665.30 | Bitcoin up | — |
| 8 | Jun 11, 2020 | ▲ +48.0% | 27.57 → 40.79 | ▼ −5.56% | $9,870 → $9,322 | Bitcoin down | — |
| 9 | Feb 24, 2020 | ▲ +46.5% | 17.08 → 25.03 | ▼ −2.76% | $9,925 → $9,650 | Bitcoin down | — |
| 10 | Aug 21, 2015 | ▲ +46.4% | 19.14 → 28.03 | ▼ −1.18% | $235.35 → $232.57 | Bitcoin down | — |
| 11 | May 17, 2017 | ▲ +46.4% | 10.65 → 15.59 | ▲ +6.03% | $1,734 → $1,839 | Bitcoin up | — |
| 12 | Aug 24, 2015 | ▲ +45.3% | 28.03 → 40.74 | ▼ −7.75% | $228.17 → $210.49 | Bitcoin down | — |
| 13 | Aug 10, 2017 | ▲ +44.4% | 11.11 → 16.04 | ▲ +1.16% | $3,342 → $3,381 | Bitcoin up | — |
| 14 | Oct 10, 2018 | ▲ +43.9% | 15.95 → 22.96 | ▼ −0.86% | $6,643 → $6,586 | Bitcoin down | — |
| 15 | Mar 16, 2020 | ▲ +43.0% | 57.83 → 82.69 | ▼ −7.01% | $5,392 → $5,014 | Bitcoin down | — |
VIX, one day = the day’s closing level ÷ the previous trading day’s, minus 1, over the 3,077 US trading days for which bitcoin also has a close on both sides.1 Ranked by size of the rise. Bitcoin, same day = UTC daily close on that date ÷ the close the day before, minus 1.2 Each of these bitcoin moves is within 2.6 percentage points of Blockchain.com’s daily average price.3 Bitcoin fell on 11 of the 15 days and on 1485 of all 3,077 trading days (48%). FOMC = the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed’s rate-setting body, published a decision that day. Observed facts, not a forecast.
The VIX is built from US stock-option prices, while bitcoin trades around the clock, so a UTC day holds both the US session and the hours around it. For bitcoin’s moves on the days the S&P 500 itself fell most, see bitcoin on the S&P 500’s worst days, and for the correlation by year, bitcoin and the S&P 500 by year.
The VIX closed at 37.32 on Feb 5, 2018, up 115.6% from 17.31 the day before.1 Bitcoin’s UTC close that day was $6,955, down 15.97% from $8,277.2 The VIX is a measure of US stock options while bitcoin trades around the clock, so the two moves cover different hours, and the day holds other news; the data does not show that either move caused the other.
The VIX closed at 27.62 on Dec 18, 2024, up 74.0% from 15.87 the day before.1 Bitcoin’s UTC close that day was $100,042, down 5.75% from $106,141.2 It was also an FOMC decision day: the Fed published its statement that afternoon.4 The VIX is a measure of US stock options while bitcoin trades around the clock, so the two moves cover different hours, and the day holds other news; the data does not show that either move caused the other.
The VIX closed at 38.57 on Aug 5, 2024, up 64.9% from 23.39 the day before.1 Bitcoin’s UTC close that day was $53,991, down 7.10% from $58,117.2 The VIX is a measure of US stock options while bitcoin trades around the clock, so the two moves cover different hours, and the day holds other news; the data does not show that either move caused the other.
The VIX closed at 37.21 on Jan 27, 2021, up 61.6% from 23.02 the day before.1 Bitcoin’s UTC close that day was $30,433, down 6.56% from $32,570.2 It was also an FOMC decision day: the Fed published its statement that afternoon.5 The VIX is a measure of US stock options while bitcoin trades around the clock, so the two moves cover different hours, and the day holds other news; the data does not show that either move caused the other.
The VIX closed at 28.62 on Nov 26, 2021, up 54.0% from 18.58 the day before.1 Bitcoin’s UTC close that day was $53,570, down 6.47% from $57,275.2 The VIX is a measure of US stock options while bitcoin trades around the clock, so the two moves cover different hours, and the day holds other news; the data does not show that either move caused the other.
The VIX closed at 45.31 on Apr 4, 2025, up 50.9% from 30.02 the day before.1 Bitcoin’s UTC close that day was $83,844, up 0.89% from $83,103.2 The VIX is a measure of US stock options while bitcoin trades around the clock, so the two moves cover different hours, and the day holds other news; the data does not show that either move caused the other.
The VIX closed at 25.76 on Jun 24, 2016, up 49.3% from 17.25 the day before.1 Bitcoin’s UTC close that day was $665.30, up 6.62% from $623.98.2 The VIX is a measure of US stock options while bitcoin trades around the clock, so the two moves cover different hours, and the day holds other news; the data does not show that either move caused the other.
The VIX closed at 40.79 on Jun 11, 2020, up 48.0% from 27.57 the day before.1 Bitcoin’s UTC close that day was $9,322, down 5.56% from $9,870.2 The VIX is a measure of US stock options while bitcoin trades around the clock, so the two moves cover different hours, and the day holds other news; the data does not show that either move caused the other.
For information only. Not financial advice. See the terms of use.