Bitcoin trades near $73,900 after hitting four-week low; ether down 18.8%

The gap between ether's decline and bitcoin's over the same stretch is the real signal here: the weakness is concentrated in the higher-beta end of the market rather than spread evenly, which typically points to risk reduction rather than a bitcoin-specific story. That distinction matters for anyone holding altcoin-heavy exposure, since it suggests relative performance is being driven by asset quality, not just direction. Whether ether keeps underperforming bitcoin at this magnitude is the open question, and it is the number worth tracking as the broader market softens.