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Altcoin season is a market phenomenon characterized by a period where a significant portion of altcoins outperform Bitcoin in price. CoinMarketCap defines this as a state where 75% of the top 100 non-stablecoin, non-wrapped assets exceed Bitcoin’s 90-day performance. Market observers often monitor Bitcoin dominance and specific indices to gauge the transition between Bitcoin-led growth and broader altcoin rallies, which are frequently associated with increased retail liquidity and speculative activity.
The CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season Index uses a 90-day rolling performance metric to determine if 75% of the top 100 altcoins are outperforming Bitcoin.
Market analysts hold varying views on the timing of altcoin seasons, with some citing specific months or market conditions like Bitcoin dominance drops as indicators.
Altcoin seasons are often preceded by periods of Bitcoin price appreciation and increased Ethereum network activity, which eventually leads to capital rotation into other assets.
Institutional capital inflows into Bitcoin and Ethereum are noted as factors that may influence the duration and volatility of altcoin market cycles.
Some analysts argue that current market movements may reflect specific trends like an 'Ethereum Season' rather than a broad-based rally across all altcoins.
An altcoin is any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin, as Bitcoin was the first to capture global attention.
The index compares the 90-day price performance of the top 100 cryptocurrencies, excluding stablecoins and asset-backed wrapped tokens, against Bitcoin.
During this period, altcoins typically experience rapid price appreciation, increased market dominance, and higher trading volumes, often driven by market optimism and FOMO.
Yes, Ethereum is included in the altcoin mix for the purpose of the CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season Index.
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