Altcoin Season Over? Why Crypto’s Golden Era May Be Fading

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Crypto Analyst: Future Altcoin Seasons Will Be Short and Rare

The explosive growth of altcoins has raised questions about whether the phenomenon of “altcoin season” is over. In previous cycles, such as 2017-2018, cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin, like Ether (ETH), XRP, and Litecoin, experienced massive rallies. However, the landscape has drastically changed. Today, over 36.4 million altcoins circulate in the market, compared to just a few thousand in earlier altcoin seasons.

Crypto analyst Ali Martinez noted that the sheer number of altcoins makes sustaining widespread rallies difficult. Data from Dune Analytics highlights this surge, with fewer than 500 altcoins in 2013-2014 and around 3,000 during the 2017-2018 cycle.

Economist Alex Krüger also pointed out that the oversupply of tokens now far exceeds demand, making prolonged altcoin rallies increasingly unlikely. He predicted that any future altcoin seasons would be short-lived, lasting only days or weeks. Krüger emphasized the challenge investors face in identifying valuable coins amid a sea of oversaturation.

Low-quality tokens and meme coins have further complicated the market. Crypto trader Ash Crypto criticized exchanges for listing meme coins purely to boost trading volumes, often at the expense of retail investors, who suffer heavy losses when such coins rapidly lose value. He noted the extreme volatility of meme coins, where losses of 80% in a week are not uncommon.

Despite these challenges, some analysts believe certain altcoins still hold potential, particularly those with strong use cases. Michaël van de Poppe suggested that institutional interest in utility-driven coins could keep select altcoins relevant. He even predicted Ethereum could lead future rallies, dubbing it “the most hated rally of 2025.”

Bitcoin remains the dominant force in the crypto market, with its market cap surging to $2.07 trillion—more than double its 2021 value. Meanwhile, the total altcoin market cap sits at $1.6 trillion, still 15.8% below its all-time high. Ki Young Ju, CEO of CryptoQuant, suggested that only altcoins with solid utility and real value will survive the increasingly saturated market.

The rise in altcoin supply, coupled with the influx of meme coins, suggests the days of prolonged and widespread altcoin rallies may be over. Moving forward, only projects with genuine value and clear utility are likely to thrive.

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