Expectations for Altcoin Season in 2026

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

The performance of 2025 proves how distant altcoins are from a low-risk appetite. Bitcoin 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 period, while Bitcoin lost around 6% in 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 risk appetite around the world could change. According to on-chain data, Hayes converted 1,871 Ethereum to cash (approximately $5.53 million) in the past week. He then made purchases totaling approximately $609,000 in the projects Ethena (ENA), Pendle (PENDLE), and ether.fi (ETHFI). This move is being considered as a transition strategy by analysts.

Four notable altcoins on analysts' radar are as follows: Solana (SOL), which has dropped 58.6% from its January 2025 peak, indicating that ecosystem growth may carry potential for price revaluation in the event of a price increase. Ethena (ENA) is currently trading around $0.203 and is a significant part of Hayes' portfolio. There are strong growth prospects for Pendle (PENDLE) within 2025. ether.fi (ETHFI) has fallen from $1.60 in September to $0.70 and draws attention with its position in the liquid restaking sector.

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