Is Altcoin Season Incoming? 5 Key Indicators & Trading Tips
As summer 2025 unfolds, cryptocurrency markets are showing signs of a potential altcoin season—a period where alternative cryptocurrencies outperform Bitcoin. Below, we explore five key indicators suggesting a shift, followed by five actionable steps to prepare your portfolio.
How to Tell It’s Altcoin Season
Bitcoin Dominance Is Dropping
Bitcoin Dominance (BTC.D) measures BTC’s share of total crypto market capitalization. It has declined from ~66% to the low 60% range—falling below its 50- and 100-day averages—signaling shifting capital into altcoins.
ETH/BTC Ratio Starts Climbing
The ETH/BTC ratio has broken out of a bullish pattern, indicating Ethereum is gaining relative strength. Often, ETH leads before other altcoins rally.
Mid‑ and Low‑Cap Coins Begin to Rally
Large-cap alts like BNB and SOL rally first—followed by smaller names. Trading volume surges across mid-cap alts like SUI, ARB, and Solana suggest growing momentum.
Trading Volume Spikes Across Alts
Volume often precedes price. Mid‑cap alts show sharp trading volume increases, confirming early-stage rotation.
Meme Coins and Retail Hype Return
Memecoins like PEPE and FLOKI are gaining traction again, boosted by social media hype and retail interest.
5 Ways to Prepare for Altcoin Season
Identify Trending Narratives Early
Explore emerging trends like AI, DePIN, gaming, or privacy tokens. Projects like LILPEPE, ARB, OP, SOL, and SUI are drawing notable attention.
Set Entry & Exit Targets
Define clear buy and sell zones for each investment. Altcoin seasons can reverse sharply when BTC.D rebounds—don’t wait for FOMO to guide decisions.
Rotate from Large Caps to Small Caps
A classical rotation path works: BTC → ETH → large‑cap alts → mid/low‑caps → memecoins. Follow this progression to mitigate risk.
Focus on Fundamentals, Not Just Hype
Select projects with real-world utility—high TVL, active development, and strong tokenomics matter. For instance, Arbitrum supports over $12 billion in TVL.
