Expectations for Altcoin Season in 2026

As we approach the year 2026, the biggest question on investors' minds is: Will an altcoin season come? Current market data shows that Bitcoin dominance continues and high risks for altcoins persist. According to CoinMarketCap data, the Altcoin Season Index has dropped to 17 this week. Over the past 90 days, only 17 of the top 100 assets in the markets have performed better than Bitcoin (BTC).

The performance in 2025 proves how distant altcoins are from a low-risk appetite. Bitcoin experienced a sharp pullback from its record level of $126,000 in October and is currently looking for balance in the $80,000–$90,000 range. During this period, while Bitcoin has lost about 6% of its value throughout 2025, some small-cap tokens have faced declines of up to 90% from their peak prices.

Notable figures like BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes are signaling that the global risk appetite may change. According to on-chain data, Hayes sold 1,871 Ethereum in the last week (around $5.53 million) to cash. Following this, it was revealed that he purchased approximately $609,000 worth in the Ethena (ENA), Pendle (PENDLE), and ether.fi (ETHFI) projects. This move is seen by analysts as a transition strategy.

Four significant altcoins on analysts' radars are as follows: Solana (SOL) fell by 58.6% from its January 2025 peak, indicating that ecosystem growth could have a revaluation potential in the event of a price increase. Ethena (ENA) is currently trading at around $0.203 and is a substantial part of Hayes’ portfolio. There is a strong growth indicator for Pendle (PENDLE) within 2025. ether.fi (ETHFI) declined from $1.60 in September to $0.70 and stands out with its position in the liquid restaking sector.

Another altcoin project closely watched for 2026 is Minotaurus (MTAUR). Market analysts are evaluating long-term growth scenarios with a potential increase of 50% for this project. If investment is made in the project today, a 50% increase that occurs from the $0.00020 USDT level could theoretically bring investors to $3,960. As a result, investors should continue to carefully monitor changes and price movements in the markets.