This paper examines herding behavior in the cryptocurrency market during periods of uncertainty. Specifically, we investigate whether herding persists amid the uncertainty generated by the COVID-19 crisis and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and how this behavior correlates with upward and downward movements in international markets. The study focuses on ten highly capitalized cryptocurrencies (CCs) and employs the Cross-Sectional Absolute Deviation (CSAD) method by Chang et al. (J. Bank. Finance 24:1651–1679, 2000 [4]), analyzing daily data from January 1, 2019, to July 5, 2023. The results indicate the presence of herding behavior among crypto-asset investors throughout the study period, however, it is absent during periods of uncertainty, suggesting that investors were rational and informed during these times. Furthermore, herding behavior was aligned with market asymmetries, particularly during bullish movements. Our findings enhance the understanding of herding behavior in cryptocurrencies and may help investors mitigate such behavior during uncertain periods.