Expectations for Altcoin Season in 2026

As the year 2026 approaches, the biggest question on investors' minds is: Will the altcoin season come? Current market data shows that Bitcoin dominance remains strong, and there are ongoing high risks for altcoins. According to CoinMarketCap data, the Altcoin Season Index fell to 17 this week. In the past 90 days, only 17 out of the top 100 assets in the markets have performed better than Bitcoin (BTC).

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

Notable figure, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, is signaling that risk appetite in the world might change. According to on-chain data, Hayes sold 1,871 Ethereum (approximately $5.53 million) to cash out in the last week. Following that, it emerged that he made purchases totaling approximately $609 thousand in the projects Ethena (ENA), Pendle (PENDLE), and ether.fi (ETHFI). This move is seen by analysts as a transition strategy.

Four significant altcoins on analysts' radar are as follows: Solana (SOL) has dropped 58.6 percent from its peak in January 2025, indicating that ecosystem growth may carry a re-pricing potential in case of a price increase. Ethena (ENA) is currently trading at around $0.203 and is a significant part of Hayes' portfolio. There is a strong growth indicator for Pendle (PENDLE) within the year 2025. ether.fi (ETHFI) has declined from $1.60 in September to $0.70 and stands out with its position in the liquid restaking sector.

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