Altcoins Show Strength as Bitcoin Pushes Toward $72K and Market Recovers

According to BlockchainCenter’s Altcoin Season Index, the current reading is 43, which still falls short of the 75 level needed to officially qualify as an altcoin season.

The site defines altseason as a period when 75% of the top 50 coins outperform Bitcoin over the last 90 days.

Right now, the market is still below that threshold, and BlockchainCenter explicitly says: “It is not Altcoin Season!”

Still, there are early signs of rotation.

CoinGecko’s 14-day top-100 movers show that several altcoins have recently outperformed Bitcoin’s 4.5% gain over the same period.

Among the stronger names, Zcash is up 66.5%, Algorand has gained 31.8%, MemeCore is up 25.4%, Render has climbed 15.8%, and Morpho has added 13.8%.

ETH vs BTC

Even Ethereum’s price has outpaced Bitcoin over that stretch, gaining 6.1%.

On the daily timeframe, the ETH/BTC pair is trying to base after a prolonged downtrend. But it hasn’t fully flipped bullish yet.

The chart shows a clear breakdown earlier in the year, followed by a sharp selloff into the lows around 0.028.

Since then, ETH’s price has been forming higher lows against Bitcoin, creating a small ascending structure.

That’s an early sign of stabilization, but it’s happening below key resistance, which is important.

Right now, price is compressing under the 0.236 fib (0.0318), which is acting as resistance.

You’re essentially seeing a grind-up in supply after a downtrend, not a breakout yet.

If ETH/BTC can break and hold above 0.032, that would be meaningful.

It would signal a shift in relative strength back toward ETH and likely open the door to a move toward 0.035.

That’s where the next cluster of resistance sits. Once that happens, altcoin season 2026 could accelerate.

If it fails here and loses the rising trendline, then the structure rolls over, and you’re likely looking at a retest of the lows.

That would mean BTC dominance continues to lead.

However, the broader altcoin picture remains uneven. CoinGecko’s same 14-day list also shows notable weakness across several large altcoins.

Bittensor is down 19.9%, Aave has fallen 15.0%, Ondo is off 11.8%, Uniswap has dropped 11.4%, and Kaspa is down 11.1%.

That matters because real altcoin season is usually broad-based. It is not just a few names pumping. It is widespread outperformance across the market.

Bitcoin Dominance Could Be a Hindrance

Bitcoin dominance reinforces that view.

If Bitcoin dominance trends lower over the coming months while the Altcoin Season Index moves toward or above 75, the case for a broader alt rally becomes much stronger.

On the other hand, if BTC dominance remains in the mid-to-high 50% range, Bitcoin may continue to lead, while altcoins see only isolated bursts of strength.

Right now, Bitcoin dominance has been compressing within a range after a prior move up, forming a descending resistance with a flat base around 58%.

That’s essentially a coiling structure, and it’s now pushing into the upper boundary.

What matters is where it’s breaking from. It’s not breaking down from resistance.

Instead, the image below shows it’s breaking up from support into resistance.

If BTC.D pushes through 59.8–60% and especially reclaims that 60.5–61% supply zone, that confirms another leg of BTC strength.

When that happens, alts generally underperform, even if they bounce in USD terms.

That would align with what we saw on ETH/BTC — still weak, just trying to base — and why many alt setups look early rather than fully confirmed.

If, however, this breakout fails and gets rejected hard under 60%, then you get a rotation.

That’s when ETH/BTC breaks up, and altcoin season 2026 may follow through.

So the key idea is this: BTC dominance is at a decision point, not topping yet.

A breakout above 60% likely delays altseason and keeps pressure on alts. A rejection here is what unlocks the broader alt move.

Is AltSeaon Here? The Verdict

So, is altcoin season gaining ground in 2026? Yes, but only gradually.

The market recovery is real. Bitcoin is back near $72,000. Total crypto market cap has reclaimed $2.51T. And some altcoins are clearly outperforming. Yet the broader data still says this is not full altseason yet.

For now, 2026 looks like the start of a possible rotation phase, not the full-blown altcoin frenzy traders are waiting for.

About the Author

Victor Olanrewaju

Victor Olanrewaju is a crypto analyst and reporter at CCN with deep roots in on-chain research and technical analysis. His crypto journey began in 2017, but it was the 2020 Uniswap airdrop that sparked a full-time pivot into the space.

With a foundation in copywriting, Victor honed his craft creating high-converting content for leading crypto brokers — most notably an XRP price prediction that ranked #1 on Google during the 2021 bull run.

He later joined AMBCrypto in 2022, where he combined storytelling with technical and on-chain analysis to cover key market narratives.

In 2024, he expanded his expertise at BeInCrypto, collaborating with analysts and using tools like Glassnode, Santiment, and IntoTheBlock to break down Bitcoin and altcoin trends.

At CCN, Victor covers the top cryptocurrencies, memecoins, macro shifts, blending real-time insights with deep-dive metrics.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Ibadan, equipping him to simplify complex data for a wide audience. Follow his work or connect on LinkedIn or X.

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