What triggers explosive rallies in cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin and how can investors spot the next big opportunity before it happens? The cryptocurrency market is known for its rapid cycles and dramatic shifts in investor sentiment. Among its most anticipated phases is altcoin season, or "altseason," a period when alternative cryptocurrencies (altcoins) experience significant price surges and attract widespread attention.
Bitcoin price touches all-time high above $123,100 in July 2025 | Source: BingX
Unlike Bitcoin’s more stable and dominant presence, altseason brings heightened volatility, surging trading volumes, and the potential for extraordinary gains across a wide range of digital assets. As of July 18, 2025, Bitcoin hit a new all-time high above $123,100, while the total crypto market cap nears $4 trillion. Analysts like PlanB even project BTC could reach $1 million in the coming years, setting the stage for capital rotation into altcoins. The rise of altcoin ETFs is also drawing fresh institutional interest to the broader crypto market, amplifying liquidity and accelerating adoption. Understanding what triggers these periods, how to spot their onset, and the macroeconomic and technical factors influencing their timing is critical for navigating today’s rapidly growing crypto market.
This article explores the mechanics of altcoin season, the signals to watch for in 2025, and the top strategies investors can use to make the most of these dynamic bull market conditions.
What Are Altcoins?
Altcoins refer to all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. They include well-known digital assets like Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, Cardano, and thousands of other tokens and coins that serve various functions in different blockchain ecosystems. Altcoins were created to improve upon Bitcoin's perceived limitations, offering faster transaction times, unique consensus mechanisms, or specialized use cases such as smart contracts and decentralized finance (DeFi). As of July 2025, Coinmarketcap tracks over 18.3 million altcoins on its platform.
What Is Altcoin Season (Altseason)?
CMC Altseason Index | Source: Coinmarketcap
Altcoin season is commonly referred to as "altseason," which refers to a period in the cryptocurrency market when the majority of capital shifts from Bitcoin (BTC) to alternative cryptocurrencies, resulting in a rapid and often dramatic increase in the prices of altcoins.
During these periods, altcoins can experience price surges of 100% or more within weeks, with some coins even seeing gains in the thousands of percent. For example, during previous altseasons, coins like Dogecoin and Shiba Inu saw their market capitalizations skyrocket, with Dogecoin reaching a peak market cap of over $80 billion in 2021.
Altseason is typically accompanied by a significant increase in trading volume, heightened volatility, and a surge in the number of new crypto investors entering the market. The phenomenon is driven by a combination of investor optimism, technological innovation, and market speculation, often resulting in a flurry of new projects and tokens gaining attention.
What Causes Altseason to Start: Key Factors
Altseason typically follows a strong Bitcoin rally when BTC’s price stabilizes or moves sideways. This pause often prompts investors to rotate capital into alternative cryptocurrencies seeking higher returns.
Key Signals to Watch for Altcoin Season
Bitcoin dominance under 60% during altcoin season | Source: CoinStats
• Bitcoin Dominance Falling: BTC dominance dropped from 65.85% in late June to 62.6% this week, breaking below its 50-day and 100-day moving averages. Analysts see this as a potential canary in the coal mine for a new altcoin surge.
• Rising Altcoin Season Index: The Altcoin Season Index now reads 49, up from 28 last week. While still shy of the 75 mark needed to confirm altseason, this is its highest level since February 2025.
• Technical Breakouts in TOTAL2 and TOTAL3 Charts: The TOTAL2 chart (altcoin market cap excluding BTC) has broken out of a cup-and-handle pattern, suggesting a move toward $2.78 trillion market cap. The TOTAL3 chart (excluding BTC and ETH) also signals a potential doubling from $1.1 trillion to $2 trillion.
• ETH/BTC Ratio Strengthening: Ethereum has broken out of a bull flag versus BTC, supported by strong Chaikin Money Flow (CMF) readings.
ETH/BTC ratio strengthening at the start of altseason | Source: BingX
Macroeconomic and regulatory catalysts are amplifying momentum. The passage of key crypto bills during the U.S. Crypto Week, the CLARITY Act, GENIUS Act, and Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, provides a favorable policy backdrop. XRP, in particular, surged 18% to $3.64 on expectations of being classified as a commodity, not a security, under the CLARITY Act.
When Will Altcoin Season Start in the 2025 Bull Run?
As of July 18, 2025, we may be entering the early stages of altseason. Bitcoin’s dominance is trending downward, while Ethereum and large-cap altcoins outperform. However, the Altcoin Season Index at 49 suggests the market isn’t yet in full-blown altseason.
Analysts caution that sustained demand for ETH and further BTC dominance decline below 60% are needed to confirm the trend. If TOTAL2 and TOTAL3 maintain their breakouts, altcoin market capitalization could soar from $1.41 trillion to $1.65 trillion or higher.
History of Past Altcoin Seasons
Altcoin seasons often follow major technological breakthroughs or significant milestones in the cryptocurrency market:
1. 2017-2018
During this period, Bitcoin's market dominance dropped from 86.3% in late 2017 to 38.69% at the start of 2018. Bitcoin's price fell from over $20,000 to below $6,000 in a few months. The surge in altcoins was fueled by the boom in initial coin offerings (ICOs), with many blockchain projects launching new tokens.
2. 2020-2021
The altseason of 2020-2021 coincided with the global pandemic. Retail investors and crypto enthusiasts sought opportunities beyond Bitcoin, leading to the rise of meme coins such as Dogecoin and Shiba Inu. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) also contributed to positive sentiment. During this time, Bitcoin's dominance dropped from 70% to 38%, and the altcoin season index reached 98 in April 2021.
3. Q4 2023 - Mid-2024
From Q4 2023 to mid-2024, the crypto market was fueled by optimism around the Bitcoin halving in April 2024 and potential Ethereum ETF approvals. Unlike past altcoin seasons focused on ICOs, DeFi, and NFTs, this period saw rallies across sectors like AI, GameFi, metaverse, DePIN, and web3. Altcoins such as Arweave, JasmyCoin, Worldcoin, and Fetch.ai led the charge. AI tokens like Render (RNDR) and Akash Network (AKT) surged over 1,000%, while GameFi platforms ImmutableX (IMX) and Ronin (RON) made strong comebacks. Memecoins evolved with added utilities, and Solana-based memecoins saw a 945% price increase, shaking off their "dead-chain" reputation.
Overall, this altcoin season was broader and more diverse, spanning multiple emerging sectors beyond traditional DeFi and ICOs.
How to Buy Altcoins on BingX's Spot Market: A Step-by-Step Guide
Trade XRP on BingX spot market
As altcoin season unfolds, traders need a platform that can handle rapid price movements while offering competitive costs and valuable insights. With altcoins often experiencing sharp volatility, selecting the right exchange is essential for maximizing opportunities and managing risks effectively. BingX provides a seamless, secure trading experience, equipping traders with the necessary tools to navigate the fast-paced altcoin market:
1. Create and Verify Your BingX Account: Go to the BingX official website or open the BingX app. Register for an account using your email or phone number, then complete the required identity verification (KYC) process.
2. Deposit Funds: After logging in, click on “Deposit” or “Buy Crypto” to add funds to your account. You can deposit cryptocurrencies like USDT or use fiat options if supported in your region.
3. Navigate to the Spot Market: On the main menu, select “Spot” to access the spot trading section. This page displays all available trading pairs and live market data.
4. Select Your Altcoin Trading Pair: Use the search bar or browse the list to find the altcoin you want to buy (for example, XRP/USDT or SOL/USDT). Click on the trading pair to open its trading page.
5. Choose Order Type and Enter Details: On the trading interface, decide whether to place a “Market” order (buys instantly at the current price) or a “Limit” order (buys at your chosen price). Enter the amount of the altcoin you wish to purchase.
6. Confirm and Execute the Trade: Double-check your order details, then click “Buy.” Confirm the transaction when prompted. If you placed a market order, your purchase will be executed immediately; if you placed a limit order, it will execute when the market reaches your set price.
7. Check Your Balance: Once your order is filled, the purchased altcoins will appear in your BingX spot wallet. You can view your updated balance in the “Assets” or “Wallet” section. These steps allow you to buy and manage altcoins on BingX's spot market efficiently and securely.
8. Hold or Trade Your Altcoins on BingX: Depending on your strategy, you can hold promising projects for the long term or actively trade them on platforms like BingX. Take advantage of features like perpetual contracts for leveraged trading, copy trading to follow top traders, and trading bots for automated strategies during fast-moving altseason markets.
How to Take Advantage of Altcoin Season: Top Strategies
Altseason is a recurring phase in the crypto market where capital flows from Bitcoin into altcoins, driving rapid price gains across many assets. While these periods offer significant opportunities, they are also marked by high volatility and risk. To navigate altseason effectively and maximize your returns, focus on these key strategies:
• Do Your Research (DYOR): Before investing, analyze each altcoin’s fundamentals, including its technology, use cases, development team, and market potential. Avoid getting caught up in hype without understanding the underlying value.
• Diversify Your Portfolio: Spread your investments across multiple promising altcoins and sectors to reduce exposure to any single asset’s volatility. Not all altcoins perform equally during altseason.
• Time Your Entries and Exits: Use technical analysis tools like support and resistance levels, RSI values, and moving averages to make informed buy and sell decisions. Monitor Bitcoin dominance and altcoin market capitalization for early signals of momentum shifts.
• Participate Early but Carefully: Presale events can offer early access to new projects at lower prices, but these also carry higher risks. Vet projects thoroughly to avoid scams.
• Manage Your Risk: Set stop-loss orders, take profits at key levels, and maintain a healthy balance between potential rewards and acceptable losses.
• Stay Alert to Security Threats: Periods of heightened activity often see increased phishing attacks and hacks. During the 2021 bull market, stolen crypto funds surged over 350% to nearly $500 million—highlighting the need for vigilance.
• Set Realistic Expectations: Altseason can deliver strong gains, but prices can swing wildly. Avoid chasing overnight riches and plan for market corrections.
By combining careful research with disciplined risk management, you can position yourself to capture altseason’s upside while protecting your capital.
Conclusion
Altcoin season may be closer than ever as technical indicators, market sentiment, and regulatory breakthroughs converge. Bitcoin dominance is falling, Ethereum is leading capital rotation, and legacy altcoins are staging impressive comebacks. While we are not yet at the 75% threshold for an official altseason, momentum is building fast.
By understanding the key drivers and adopting sound investment strategies, traders can position themselves to benefit from this next wave of growth. Stay alert to regulatory shifts and market indicators to navigate altseason effectively.