As Bitcoin continues to make headlines with impressive price surges, such as hitting the $120,000 mark, many investors are eagerly asking: is an altseason — a period where altcoins significantly outperform Bitcoin — about to happen? Especially those holding few or no Bitcoin feel left out, watching altcoins lag behind and wondering if it’s still worth investing in these alternative cryptocurrencies. This question is particularly hot because, generally, an altseason tends to accompany strong Bitcoin rallies, but despite Bitcoin’s recent momentum, altcoins have been relatively subdued. Let’s delve into the current market dynamics, historical context, and the factors influencing the possibility of an upcoming altseason.
Understanding Dominance and Altseason
A key metric for assessing the crypto market is Bitcoin’s dominance — the percentage of total cryptocurrency market capitalization that Bitcoin represents. During a typical altseason, Bitcoin dominance falls sharply because altcoins surge more dramatically than Bitcoin itself. When Bitcoin price climbs but altcoins fail to outpace it, Bitcoin’s dominance remains stable or even increases.
Since 2022 and well into 2023, Bitcoin dominance has generally trended upward, indicating Bitcoin’s strength relative to the rest of the crypto market. This contrasts with the explosive altcoin rallies seen during the 2020-2021 cycle, where altcoins often outperformed Bitcoin dramatically, creating huge opportunities for speculators and investors focused on altcoins.
What Made the 2021 Altseason Special?
The major altseason in 2021 was driven by a confluence of factors rarely seen all at once:
- Economic Conditions: The COVID-19 pandemic led to massive fiscal stimulus and government support programs worldwide. Many individuals found themselves at home with limited ability to spend on travel, entertainment, or dining out, but with more disposable income.
- Near-Zero Interest Rates: The United States and many other developed economies maintained almost zero or near-zero interest rates, making traditional savings accounts unattractive. Investors looked for higher-return assets.
- Crypto Innovation and Public Attention: 2021 was a hotbed of innovation—launches of new decentralized finance (DeFi) projects, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), metaverse-related initiatives backed by big brands like Nike and Facebook’s rebranding as Meta, captivated mainstream attention and inspired broad speculation.
These conditions created perfect “fertile ground” for altcoins to thrive: investors had access to easy capital, were eager to take risks, and had numerous new projects promising disruptive potential.
Why We Haven’t Seen This Again Yet
Fast forward to 2023-2024, and many of the conditions have changed substantially:
- Rising Interest Rates: The Federal Reserve and other central banks have increased interest rates to combat inflation, raising borrowing costs to about 4%. This makes risk-taking in markets like crypto less attractive compared to safer fixed-income alternatives.
- Institutional Shift Toward Bitcoin: Institutional investors, large corporations, and even some countries have largely funneled their crypto investments into Bitcoin, often via Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and similar products designed for big players. Bitcoin has emerged as a “digital gold” or liquidity hedge, rather than investors spreading capital across the entire crypto market.
- Market Maturity and Selectivity: There are far more altcoins today than in 2021, meaning investors are more cautious and selective. The market no longer rewards every new token with explosive growth as it once did.
- Lack of New, Widely Known Innovations: Unlike the high public enthusiasm for NFTs and the “metaverse” in 2021, the broader crypto narrative today lacks similarly captivating, mainstream innovations. Media and public attention remain focused more on Bitcoin and on emerging sectors like artificial intelligence elsewhere in tech.
Is Altseason Still Possible?
While the traditional drivers of altseason are not in place now, altcoin growth is by no means ruled out indefinitely. The crypto market is evolving, and other catalytic factors could emerge, such as:
- Groundbreaking technological upgrades in popular altcoins or Ethereum’s ecosystem.
- Renewed regulatory clarity enabling greater retail participation.
- Integration of altcoins in new sectors like decentralized finance, gaming, or blockchain-based identity systems.
- Global economic shifts that move liquidity back into higher-risk assets.
Investors considering altcoins should carefully assess their portfolios. Many may have altcoins at a loss or underperforming relative to Bitcoin. Strategically, it makes sense to:
- Focus on projects with strong fundamentals and active development communities.
- Avoid speculative “hype” tokens without clear use cases.
- Maintain allocations that align with risk tolerance and investment horizon.
Conclusion
An altseason reminiscent of 2021’s explosive rallies is not imminently visible based on current macroeconomic trends, institutional behaviors, and market innovations. Bitcoin continues to dominate as the flagship crypto asset, drawing the bulk of institutional capital and interest. However, the crypto market is dynamic, and shifts in technology, regulation, or sentiment could pave the way for altcoins to shine again.
For now, investors are advised to stay informed, maintain diversified strategies, and stay vigilant for emerging opportunities while recognizing the market realities shaping crypto’s ebb and flow. The “altseason” question is less about waiting for a set date and more about understanding the environment and positioning oneself for the next phase of this ever-evolving market.
By Wolfy Wealth - Empowering crypto investors since 2016
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Disclosure: Authors may be crypto investors mentioned in this newsletter. Wolfy Wealth Crypto newsletter, does not represent an offer to trade securities or other financial instruments. Our analyses, information and investment strategies are for informational purposes only, in order to spread knowledge about the crypto market. Any investments in variable income may cause partial or total loss of the capital used. Therefore, the recipient of this newsletter should always develop their own analyses and investment strategies. In addition, any investment decisions should be based on the investor's risk profile.
