Expectations for the Altcoin Season in 2026

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

The performance in 2025 clearly demonstrates how far altcoins are from a low-risk appetite. Bitcoin faced a sharp pullback from the 126,000 dollar record level in October and is currently seeking balance in the 80,000—90,000 dollar range. In this process, while Bitcoin lost about 6 percent in value throughout 2025, some small-cap tokens experienced declines of up to 90 percent from their peak prices.

Notable figures like BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes are signaling that risk appetite worldwide may change. According to on-chain data, Hayes sold 1,871 Ethereum over the last week (approximately 5.53 million dollars) to move to cash. Subsequently, it has been revealed that he made a total of around 609 thousand dollars in purchases across the projects Ethena (ENA), Pendle (PENDLE), and ether.fi (ETHFI). This move is being viewed by analysts as a transition strategy.

The four significant altcoins on analysts' radar are as follows: Solana (SOL), which has dropped by 58.6 percent since its peak in January 2025, indicating that the potential for ecosystem growth may carry re-pricing potential with a possible price increase. Ethena (ENA) is currently trading at 0.203 dollars and is a significant part of Hayes' portfolio. There are strong growth indicators for Pendle (PENDLE) in 2025. ether.fi (ETHFI) has decreased from 1.60 dollars in September to 0.70 dollars and is noteworthy for 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 for this project. If an investment is made in this project today, a 50 percent increase from the level of 0.00020 USDT could theoretically bring investors to the level of 3,960 dollars. As a result, investors should continue to carefully monitor changes in the markets and price movements.