Altcoin Season Index Hits 3-Month High — What Could It Mean for the Crypto Market in 2026?

Jakarta, Pintu News – The Altcoin Season Index has climbed to 55 as of early January 2026, reaching its highest level in about three months.

While this does not yet signal the start of the full altcoin season, analysts state that momentum is building, potentially paving the way for a broader altcoin rally.

Altcoin Season Index Reaches Highest Peak in 3 Months

The Altcoin Season Index measures the period when alternative cryptocurrencies (altcoins) outperformed Bitcoin (BTC). Specifically, an altcoin season is considered to have occurred when at least 75% of the top 50 non-stablecoin cryptocurrencies are able to beat Bitcoin’s performance within a 90-day time span.

Read also: Bitcoin Holds Steady at $91,000 — Is EMA Support Signaling a Bullish Trend?

Currently, the index shows a figure of 55 points, which reflects the increasing strength of altcoins. However, this figure is still not enough to confirm that the altcoin season has truly begun.

However, market watchers are starting to highlight some key signals that support the possibility of an altcoin season. In a recent post, an analyst stated that the OTHERS/BTC index has bottomed out and is now starting to show signs of a breakout. According to the analyst, similar conditions in previous cycles preceded major altcoin rallies.

Simon Dedic, founder of Moonrock Capital, noted that the current behavior of the altcoin market is in line with expectations. He added that momentum is likely to strengthen towards the end of the first quarter (Q1) to the middle of the second quarter (Q2), which could potentially be the start of broader breakouts and faster price movements.

“Synchronization between liquidity and business cycles will only accelerate this. 2026 will be the return of altcoin season,” Dedic said.

Previously, the BeInCrypto page also highlighted three main signals that could indicate a potential altcoin season in 2026. These include the formation of bullish divergences on altcoin weekly charts, potential breakouts in altcoin dominance outside the top 10 cryptos, and high altcoin trading volumes despite weak prices.

Joao Wedson, Founder and CEO of Alphractal, provides a different perspective by highlighting the mechanics of capital flows. His analysis suggests that an altcoin mini-season could occur every 48 hours, with movements alternating between Bitcoin and altcoin performance every 12 hours.

“In other words, sometimes BTC moves first, and then altcoins follow. This rotation is what allows market participants to accumulate assets efficiently – by rotating capital from BTC to altcoins and back again,” Wedson explained.

Altcoin Season Speculation Triggers Discussion Around the Featured Narrative

As expectations rise for the coming altcoin season, the market’s attention is starting to shift on which sectors could potentially lead the way if such a scenario does occur.

Read also: 3 Reasons Why XRP Price Could Soar Above $3, According to Latest Analysis!

According to Kate Miller, meme coins could be the biggest individual gainers in the next altcoin season, although only a handful are expected to score a remarkable price spike.

“Meme coins will make millionaires in the next altcoin season. But only a few will rise more than 100 times,” he wrote.

Throughout 2026 so far, meme coins have generally performed solidly, in line with the initial rise of the overall crypto market. Despite a recent price correction, the sector remains in the positive zone, with most of the leading tokens registering gains in the past week.

On the other hand, data from Artemis Analytics shows that artificial intelligence (AI)-based tokens are currently leading among other altcoins.

The AI sector has emerged as one of the best performers so far this year, with a weighted average fully diluted market cap gain of 20.9% since the start of the year. This figure ranks the AI sector as one of the most robust, losing out only to the Bitcoin ecosystem.

Meanwhile, analysis from the BeInCrypto website also identified decentralized exchange (DEX) tokens as strong candidates to be early leaders in the upcoming altcoin season. DEX adoption continues to increase, with its share of spot and perpetual trading volumes growing relative to centralized exchanges.

Simultaneously, large investors were noted to have accumulated major DEX tokens during the period of price weakness, signaling strategic starting positions. In addition, a number of prominent DEX tokens have also started to exhibit trading patterns that are more independent of Bitcoin.

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*Disclaimer

This content aims to enrich readers’ information. Pintu collects this information from various relevant sources and is not influenced by outside parties. Note that an asset’s past performance does not determine its projected future performance. Crypto trading activities have high risk and volatility, always do your own research and use cold cash before investing. All activities of buying and selling bitcoin and other crypto asset investments are the responsibility of the reader.

Reference:

• BeInCrypto. Altcoin Season Index Hits Three-Month High. Accessed on January 12, 2026