Despite the broader altcoin market remaining under pressure and overall sentiment still dominated by fear, on-chain data suggests that select low-cap altcoins are quietly entering accumulation phases. Several projects with market capitalizations below $100 million are showing notable signs of whale activity, potentially indicating long-term positioning rather than short-term speculation.
These accumulation patterns do not guarantee price appreciation, but they often signal that informed participants are preparing ahead of potential market shifts.
Below are three low-cap altcoins that have demonstrated strong accumulation behavior during December.
Avantis (AVNT)
Avantis (AVNT) is the native token of a decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the Base network, with a current market capitalization of approximately $89 million.
After a strong rally in October, AVNT experienced a sharp correction of more than 85%, reflecting both broader market weakness and post-rally profit-taking. However, by December, the downtrend began to lose momentum, with price stabilizing around the $0.30 level and moving into a consolidation phase.
On-chain data from Nansen reveals clear accumulation activity:
Whale wallets accumulated approximately 11 million AVNT in December
The combined balance of the top 100 wallets increased by 1.88%
Exchange reserves declined by 4.9%, indicating reduced selling pressure
This combination—rising whale balances and falling exchange reserves—often suggests tokens are being withdrawn from exchanges into private wallets, typically interpreted as a sign of longer-term conviction.
Additional data from Holderscan shows the number of AVNT holders increasing from 105,800 to 109,800 over the past 30 days, reinforcing the accumulation narrative.
From a technical perspective, analysts note that AVNT may be approaching the final stage of a falling wedge pattern, a structure that is historically associated with potential trend reversals, though confirmation is still required.
Succinct (PROVE)
Succinct (PROVE) is a decentralized network focused on enabling the secure and efficient generation of zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs)—a technology increasingly viewed as critical for blockchain scalability and privacy.
The growing relevance of ZKPs, highlighted by ecosystems such as Zcash (ZEC) and privacy-focused infrastructure, has brought renewed attention to projects operating in this space.
PROVE currently holds a market capitalization of approximately $75.6 million, after declining more than 77% since its listings on Binance and Coinbase. While price performance has been weak, recent data suggests selling pressure may be easing.
According to Nansen:
Whale wallets increased their PROVE holdings by 5.34% in recent months
Exchange reserves decreased by 1.24%
The rate of price decline has slowed noticeably
This combination of decelerating downside momentum and steady whale accumulation has led some analysts to view PROVE as a potential recovery candidate, should broader market conditions stabilize.
Plume Network (PLUME)
Plume Network (PLUME) is an Ethereum Layer-2 blockchain designed specifically for real-world assets (RWA)—a sector gaining increasing institutional and regulatory attention.
PLUME’s market capitalization currently stands at approximately $60 million, following an 85% price decline during the final quarter of the year. However, recent on-chain activity suggests a shift in trend.
Data from Nansen shows that whale wallets have accumulated nearly 7 billion PLUME tokens. At the same time, price has rebounded by approximately 35%, rising from $0.014 to $0.019, effectively ending a three-month downtrend.
Investor interest in RWA-focused tokens has been supported by broader sector growth. According to recent data from Coinphoton, the total RWA market reached a new all-time high in December, despite ongoing risk aversion across crypto markets.
Looking ahead, Chris Yin, CEO of Plume Network, has expressed strong optimism for the sector. In a recent interview with BeInCrypto, he stated that both the value and user base of RWA-related platforms could grow by 10–20x in 2026.
If such projections materialize, smaller-cap tokens like PLUME could disproportionately benefit from renewed capital inflows.
Final Thoughts
The three low-cap altcoins highlighted above represent distinct investment narratives:
Avantis (AVNT): Decentralized exchanges (DEX)
Succinct (PROVE): Blockchain security and zero-knowledge proofs
Plume Network (PLUME): Real-world assets (RWA)
While the broader altcoin market remains fragile, on-chain accumulation suggests that capital is becoming increasingly selective rather than disappearing entirely. These signals may indicate early positioning ahead of potential shifts in market structure, though risks remain elevated.
As always, accumulation does not guarantee performance, and broader macro conditions will continue to play a decisive role.
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