2026 Altcoin Season Expectations

As we approach the year 2026, the biggest question on investors' minds is: Will the altcoin season come? Current market data shows that Bitcoin dominance continues and that high risks for altcoins remain. According to CoinMarketCap data, the Altcoin Season Index has fallen 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 is indicative of how distant altcoins are from a low-risk appetite. Bitcoin has experienced a sharp pullback from its $126,000 record level in October and is currently seeking balance in the $80,000–$90,000 range. During this process, while Bitcoin has lost about 6 percent value throughout 2025, some low-cap tokens have faced declines of up to %90 from their peak prices.

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

The four key altcoins on analysts' radar are as follows: Solana (SOL), which has decreased by 58.6 percent from its January 2025 peak, indicating a potential for price appreciation due to ecosystem growth. Ethena (ENA) is currently trading at $0.203 and is a significant part of Hayes' portfolio. For Pendle (PENDLE), there is a strong growth indicator within 2025. ether.fi (ETHFI) has dropped from $1.60 in September to $0.70, drawing attention 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 investment is made today, a 50 percent increase from the level of 0.00020 USDT could theoretically bring investors to the level of $3,960. As a result, investors should continue to closely monitor market changes and price movements.