💥 Altcoin Season Delayed — Is Bitcoin's Dominance Killing the Party?
Many crypto investors are asking when the long-awaited altcoin season will begin, despite Bitcoin's record surge past $100,000 in early 2025. At press time, BlockchainCenter's altcoin season index is 20, well below the 75 level needed to declare a season. In a thorough article on social media platform X, van de Poppe answered one of the most commonly asked crypto industry questions: “When altseason?”
Despite bull market, altcoin season missing
According to expert Michaël van de Poppe, this cycle has drastically diverged from previous trends. His answer to the subject of an altcoin season notes that although Bitcoin has seen advances, the altcoin market has lagged, creating concerns about whether a real altseason would occur this cycle.
Altcoins usually followed Bitcoin's surge within weeks or months. However, 2024 and early 2025 were different. Many investors expecting this cycle to repeat have lost patience. Since late 2021, the cryptocurrency market has been controlled, save for few meme currencies' short surges in late 2024.
Van de Poppe said most earlier cryptocurrencies failed to match Bitcoin's success in 2021 and have deteriorated this cycle. This has altered the average four-year cycle pattern. The tables have flipped and investors seeking a substantial return in such markets must consider other factors.
Dominance And Sentiment Imbalance Restricting Altcoins
Bitcoin's supremacy explains altseason's delay. The Altcoin Season Index shows that the indicator is much below 25 and well into Bitcoin Season. Van de Poppe links this to price action and macro-level movements like interest rate regimes and central bank monetary policy. Bitcoin still has upside potential, particularly if Fed interest rates drop from 4%.
The greatest time to buy in cryptocurrencies is now, when the season isn't starting. Van de Poppe believes that altseason is a period where patient investors buy inexpensive cryptocurrencies before the market catches on.
