Talk of an altcoin season is growing louder as 2026 begins, and this time it is being driven more by real data than hype. From Ethereum and XRP to Solana and BNB, key data points are starting to align.
Now, the big question is when the altcoin season actually begins, and what early signs should investors be watching for?
One of the strongest signals coming from top market cap crypto such as ETH, XRP, SOL & BNB.
Ethereum is leading the way, with active addresses staying near cycle highs even though the price is moving sideways. This suggests real demand, not just short-term hype.
XRP tells a similar story: big holders are not sending coins to exchanges, but they are holding their positions, which often comes before wider market moves.
Solana is seeing more interest from regular traders, but it’s still early, just like in past cycles when slow growth led to bigger rallies. BNB is also quietly active, with steady transactions showing real use, not speculation. Together, these signs suggest the market could be slowly moving toward a new altcoin season.
Supporting the bullish outlook, Bitcoin dominance is hovering near 59%, even as the total crypto market cap approaches $3.2 trillion. On the weekly chart, dominance has been trading within a rising channel and is now testing a strong resistance zone.
In past market cycles, when Bitcoin dominance failed at this level, it quickly dropped. Those drops often led to strong rallies in altcoins, as money started flowing out of Bitcoin and into other cryptocurrencies.
On top of it, well-known crypto analyst Dr. Whale says altcoin dominance has broken a long-term downtrend. He believes this breakout could lead to a 40x to 50x rally.
Meanwhile, some altcoins are already seeing big gains lately, outperforming Bitcoin’s performance.
Another long-term perspective comes from Crypto analyst Moustache, who compares the current cycle with the past. His chart shows a clear repeating pattern.
In earlier cycles, years like 2016 and 2020 saw a breakout and a short retest phase. This was then followed by a strong altcoin season in the next year, in 2017 and 2021.
Based on the same pattern, Moustache believes 2025 could be another breakout and retest phase. If history repeats, this may push the next altcoin season into 2026.
Interesting, the altcoin season index is at 57, showing Bitcoin still holds strong dominance, and altcoins have not fully taken the lead so far.
A delayed altcoin season gives investors more time to assess fundamentals rather than chase momentum. It may favor gradual accumulation and risk management over short-term speculation.
If capital rotates into altcoins, Bitcoin may enter a consolidation phase rather than a sharp decline. This rotation often reflects changing risk appetite, not a loss of confidence in BTC.
Long-term builders, developers, and patient investors may benefit most, as later cycles often reward projects with real usage rather than short-lived hype.
Bitcoin (BTC) has dropped 2.2% on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2026, to trade at about $66,446…
Litecoin isn’t the market favorite it once was. Since the beginning of the year, the…
XRP is once again at the center of market discussions after new commentary from analysts…
The price of XRP is currently trading near $1.46, and some analysts say an important…
Hyperliquid has launched the Hyperliquid Policy Center (HPC), a nonprofit research and advocacy group based…
Chainlink price is once again trading at a critical turning point. After losing most of…
