Altcoin Season Expectations in 2026

As we approach 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 dropped to 17 this week. It has been observed that only 17 of the top 100 assets in the markets have performed better than Bitcoin (BTC) in the last 90 days.

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

Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, is signaling that the world's risk appetite may shift. According to on-chain data, Hayes sold 1,871 Ethereum in the last week (approximately $5.53 million) to convert to cash. He then made a total purchase of about $609,000 in the projects Ethena (ENA), Pendle (PENDLE), and ether.fi (ETHFI). This move is being interpreted by analysts as a transition strategy.

Four important altcoins on analysts' radars are as follows: Solana (SOL) has dropped 58.6% from its January 2025 peak, indicating potential for ecosystem growth to reprice in the event 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) throughout 2025. ether.fi (ETHFI) has fallen from $1.60 in September to $0.70, drawing attention with its position in the liquid restaking sector.

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