Bitcoin has fallen less than major U.S. equity indices in the first quarter but still hasn't proven it can act as a "safe haven" in times of market turmoil.

The cryptocurrency fell over 10% in the first three months of the year.

However, the Dow secured its worst first-quarter performance ever, losing more than 23% of its value in the first quarter of 2020. The S&P 500 fell 20% in the first three months of the year, its worst first quarter ever and its biggest quarterly loss since 2008. The Nasdaq fell more than 14% in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, gold rose about 4% in the first quarter.

Financial markets have had a volatile three months as the coronavirus outbreak turned into a pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of people have been infected around the world, leading to businesses shutting down, major travel restrictions and people staying at home.

The economic impact is expected to be severe and that has led to a huge sell-off in stocks despite monetary policy action from central banks and fiscal stimulus from governments around the world.