What name is given to the global market crash that began in February 2020?

The global market crash that began in February 2020 was called the COVID-19 market crash.

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread internationally, investors reassessed corporate earnings, travel, energy demand, and economic activity. Major stock indexes fell rapidly from February into March, while volatility reached exceptional levels.

The S&P 500 entered a bear market on 12 March 2020 after falling more than 20 percent from its February record. On 16 March, the index dropped 11.98 percent, its largest one-day percentage fall since 1987 at that time. Central banks and governments then introduced extensive monetary and fiscal support.

The crash was distinct from the later economic recovery in financial markets. Share prices rebounded sharply after March 2020 even as public-health restrictions and the recession continued to affect households and businesses.