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- Rizwan Ansari
Rizwan Ansari
- Feb 18, 2026 11:35 UTC
-
Altcoin Sell Pressure Hits 5-Year High as $209B Outflow Crushes Altcoin Season Hopes
Altcoin sell pressure reached five-year high with $209 billion capital exiting market recently.
CryptoQuant data shows sustained altcoin selling with declining demand and weakening investor confidence globally.
Altcoin Season Index remains below breakout level, showing weak chances of altcoin recovery.
Altcoin sell pressure has reached its highest level in 5 years, with over $209 billion flowing out of the altcoin market. This massive capital outflow signals weakening investor confidence and reduces the chances of a near-term altcoin season
As liquidity moves to Bitcoin or exits crypto, investors question if the altcoin season will still happen or is altcoins season is dead?
Altcoin Sell Pressure Reaches 5-Year Extreme
According to data shared by CryptoQuant, the 1-year cumulative buy/sell volume difference for altcoins has dropped to negative.
That means there has been $209 billion more selling than buying on centralized exchanges over the past 13 months. Back in January 2025, this number was close to zero, showing that buyers and sellers were almost balanced.
Since then, the trend has moved only one way, steady net selling. This suggests demand has slowly dried up while supply continued to hit the market.
Further CryptoQuant analyst noted that this is not just a short-term dip. Instead, it reflects more than a year of continuous selling pressure.
“Retail is out. Smart money rotated. No institutional alt accumulation in sight. This is not a dip. It’s 13 months of continuous net selling on CEX spot.”
Bitcoin Price Drop Drives Capital Away From Altcoins
During this period, the Bitcoin price has also corrected sharply, seeing a nearly 22.4% drop in the first quarter of 2026. As of now, Bitcoin is trading close to $68,800, which is about 43% lower than its previous peak of over $126,000 in October 2025.
However, the damage in altcoins appears far more severe.
More than 75 altcoins are currently down between 20% and 90% from their recent highs. This shows that while Bitcoin price has pulled back, altcoins have suffered much deeper losses.
The data suggests capital may have rotated away from altcoins, leaving the sector with limited fresh demand.
Altcoin Season Index Shows No Clear Breakout
The Altcoin Season Index has recently risen to around 35, gaining a few points. While this signals a slight recovery, it remains far below the 75 level needed to confirm a true altcoin season.
For that to happen, about 75% of the top 100 cryptocurrencies must outperform Bitcoin over 90 days.
As of now, the total altcoin market cap, excluding Bitcoin and Ethereum, stands at around $712 billion.
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FAQs
Altcoins saw $209B in net selling over 13 months, showing sustained capital outflows and weaker demand on exchanges.
Not officially. The Altcoin Season Index is 35, far below the 75 level needed to confirm a strong altcoin rally.
Altcoins carry higher risk and lower liquidity, so they often drop harder when Bitcoin corrects.
A sustained rise in the Altcoin Season Index above 75 and renewed buying volume across top altcoins.
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