When does the altseason arrive: the moment traders have been waiting for all year

2026-01-09 12:35:40

Every bull market cycle reaches a magical moment that crypto traders experience as a celebration: the altseason. It’s the period when Bitcoin (with a current dominance of 55.85% of the market) gives way to altcoins, and the rest of the industry begins to shine like never before.

What is really altseason?

It’s not just a trendy term. Altseason is the period when altcoins — all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin — start to grow at jaw-dropping rates: 300%, 500%, even 1000% in a few weeks. It’s not uncommon to see an initial investment of $100 turn into $5,000 or $10,000 within a few months. Naturally, it depends on choosing the right token and perfect timing.

Why does it happen? Four fundamental reasons

1. The crowd follows profit

When traders see Ripple (XRP) or other little-known tokens multiply their value tenfold, FOMO (fear of missing out) kicks in. The masses start looking for the “next Ethereum” and capital floods into altcoins like an avalanche. Every novice dreams of having bought Ethereum (ETH) when it was worth just a few dollars.

2. Bitcoin takes a break, altcoins rise

Usually, altseason begins after a strong upward move by Bitcoin. When BTC’s price stabilizes or undergoes a small correction, investors take profits and reinvest in riskier assets, hoping to continue the upward journey elsewhere.

3. Trends change quickly

Each altseason brings a new narrative. In 2017, it was all about Ethereum’s smart contracts. In 2021, it was the era of DeFi (decentralized finance) and NFTs, with platforms like Uniswap and Aave making history. Today, projects related to AI, scalability, and Layer 2 solutions are capturing attention. Early adopters who can sense the trend before the masses profit disproportionately.

4. It’s a market law

It’s not just hope that drives it: it’s a historical recurring event. When Bitcoin dominance (indicates that capital is shifting to other coins), it’s almost certain that altseason is underway. Trading volumes in altcoins explode, and CoinMarketCap fills up with trending new tokens.

Past instances: when altseason made history

2017–2018: The ICO boom

It was the first big boom. Ethereum soared from $8 over $1,400. Ripple (XRP) went from $0.006 to $3.84. NEM, NEO, IOTA, and dozens of other projects offered gains from x10 to x100 for those brave enough to invest early. People discovered for the first time what smart contracts and tokenomics were.

2021: DeFi and GameFi era

Uniswap, Aave, Compound, Sushi dominated the DeFi scene. Solana (SOL) rose from $2 to over $200, currently at $138.17 with a +2.82% in the last 24 hours. Axie Infinity (AXS), the leader in Play-to-Earn games, grew from $0.50 to $160, now steady at $0.94 (+1.74% in 24 hours). Metaverses were the magic word, and anyone launching a gaming token was considered a genius.

How to recognize that altseason has started?

The signals are clear for those who know where to look:

Bitcoin Dominance decreasing: If Bitcoin’s market share starts to decline from its peak, it’s almost certainly a sign of season change
Trading volumes skyrocketing: Trading in altcoins multiplies
New assets trending: New tokens appear daily on market lists
Fresh innovations: New technologies and narratives emerge that capture the imagination

The dangerous side of the party

Altseason isn’t just easy wealth. It’s also the time when people lose heavily. Beginners, attracted by wild gains, often enter at the peak and see their investments crash by 90%. Projects promising the sky turn out to be pump-and-dump schemes. Mass psychology can turn into a trap psychology.

The lesson

Altseason is real, recurring, and offers genuine opportunities. But it’s not a party for everyone. Experienced traders prepare months in advance: they build diversified portfolios, monitor on-chain metrics, set stop-losses, and stay disciplined. Beginners? They often learn at a high price that FOMO is the number one enemy.

Next time you hear about altseason, remember: the biggest profit belongs to those with a clear plan, not to those following the crowd shouting “you are the millionaires”?

BTC0,79%

ETH1,34%

XRP-1,81%

SOL3,98%

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