THIS Bitcoin indicator has called past peaks—And it’s flashing a warning again!

• Bitcoin’s RC-Deviation metric signals the potential for a market peak at the 3X level
• Historical data revealed that the 3X multiplier often precedes market slowdowns or corrections

Bitcoin’s [BTC] recent market movements suggest that we may be nearing the peak of its current cycle. The Realized Cap Deviation (RC-Deviation) metric recently hit the 3X multiplier, a key threshold tied to market peaks.

As this level is reached, understanding the signals behind it is crucial. It’s the difference between riding the wave or getting caught in the pullback that often follows.

What is RC-Deviation and how does it work?

The RC-Deviation is a metric used to assess Bitcoin’s market cycle by comparing its current price to its historical trend and realized cap – The total value of Bitcoin based on the last transaction price of each coin, rather than the current market price.

The RC-Deviation is expressed in multipliers (e.g., 3X, 5X), showing how much higher or lower Bitcoin’s price is relative to its historical norm. A higher multiplier, like the 3X level currently being observed, typically means that Bitcoin’s price has grown significantly. This might hint at greater market risk and potential for correction.

Bitcoin – Historical peaks and lessons from past market cycles

Bitcoin’s RC-Deviation metric has repeatedly provided critical insights into market peaks.

Historically, key multipliers – such as the 3X, 5X, and 8X levels – have marked pivotal turning points in Bitcoin’s price cycles.

Source: Cryptoquant

During the 2018 bull run, the metric surged to an 8X multiplier, coinciding with Bitcoin’s all-time high, before entering a prolonged bear market.

Similarly, the 5X multiplier was hit in 2021, aligning with the market peak of that cycle. Now, with the 3X multiplier being tested, recent data suggested that parallels can be drawn to earlier phases of heightened risk – Often preceding corrections or consolidation.

Read Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction 2025-26

The 3X multiplier – A signal of market maturity and risk?

The RC-Deviation at the 3X multiplier indicated that Bitcoin’s price has deviated threefold from its realized cap. Historically, this level represents a high-risk zone, where market participants must weigh optimism with caution.

During BTC’s 2017 bull run, the RC-Deviation crossed 3X ahead of the December peak, signaling an overheated market before correction. In late 2020, the metric hovered around 3X before the final 2021 bull cycle. While 3X doesn’t predict a crash, it signals a period where market momentum could either extend or falter, depending on external factors and sentiment.

At the current 3X level, Bitcoin’s price alluded to a maturing market. However, it could face resistance as profit-taking increases. Shifts in trading volume and on-chain activity will be crucial to determining whether this cycle continues upwards or transitions into a correction.