The rise in the number of altcoins is making many wonder if the "altcoin season" era has come to an end.
The rise in the number of altcoins is making many wonder if the "altcoin season" era has come to an end. In the past, altcoin seasons were marked by significant rallies for cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. For example, during the 2017-2018 cycle, coins like Ether (ETH), XRP, and Litecoin saw impressive growth. But now, with over 36.4 million altcoins circulating in the market, compared to just a few thousand during previous altcoin seasons, market dynamics have changed.
Crypto analyst Ali Martinez pointed out that the massive number of altcoins available makes it difficult to sustain altcoin seasons. He referred to data from Dune Analytics that shows the drastic increase in altcoin supply. In the 2017-2018 season, there were only about 3,000 altcoins, and in 2013-2014, there were fewer than 500.
Economist Alex Krüger echoed these concerns, stating that the oversupply of tokens is outpacing demand, which means the idea of all altcoins rising in value for an extended period is no longer realistic. Krüger predicted that future altcoin seasons would be short-lived, lasting only a few days to weeks at most. He also highlighted investors’ difficulty when it comes to choosing valuable coins in such an oversaturated market.
The rise of low-quality tokens and meme coins also contributes to this shift. Crypto trader Ash Crypto criticized exchanges for listing meme coins to boost volume and attract users, leading to retail investors often losing money when these coins rapidly lose value. He pointed out the volatility of meme coins, where a token might drop 80% in a week.
However, some analysts still see potential for certain altcoins, especially those with strong use cases. Michaël van de Poppe suggested that institutional interest in utility-focused coins could keep some altcoins in the spotlight. He singled out Ethereum as a possible leader in future rallies, calling it “the most hated rally of 2025.”
Bitcoin continues to dominate the market, with its market cap more than doubling since 2021 to $2.07 trillion. Meanwhile, the total altcoin market cap sits at $1.6 trillion, 15.8% below its all-time high. Ki Young Ju, CEO of CryptoQuant, believes only a few altcoins with strong use cases will survive. As the market becomes more saturated, it’s clear that only those projects with real value will likely remain relevant in the long term.
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