The year 2025 has just passed, and the entire altcoin market can be described with one word—"loss." It's not a slight decline, but a significant plunge in annual overall returns. Even more heartbreaking is that those rebound opportunities driven by narratives are becoming increasingly short-lived.

The data speaks: the narrative rebound cycle for altcoins has been cut from 61 days in the previous year to just 19 days. Imagine you just discovered a hot concept, and before you can even set up your position, the hype dissipates. This is not a coincidence but a sign that market structure is changing.

An even more interesting phenomenon is the subtle shift in retail investors' preferences. They are starting to pay more attention to themes related to the stock market. What does this indicate? It suggests that the appeal of the crypto space is relatively declining, at least on a narrative level. Liquidity is quietly shifting from altcoins to other asset classes, reshaping the entire market ecosystem.

These changes in 2025 have laid the groundwork for understanding the market direction in 2026. Cycles are shortening, opportunity windows are shrinking, and investor sentiment is adjusting. Whether institutional or retail investors, everyone is adapting to this new era—rapid iteration, short cycles, and high volatility.