Recent altcoin rallies in February 2026, including pumps for UNI, ZRO, and BERA, have proven unsustainable, leading to deeper price corrections. UNI initially pumped on news of a potential BlackRock investment but subsequently crashed from near $5 to approximately $3.42, nearing its all-time lows. ZRO rallied to $2.50 before retreating to $1.49, while BERA faced selling pressure coinciding with daily token unlocks of around $257K, falling to $0.59 after a rally to $0.74.
Despite these volatile, short-term pumps, the broader altcoin market shows signs of underlying accumulation. Analysis reveals a divergence where altcoin prices remain depressed, yet trading volume has surged to levels not seen at comparable stages in previous cycles. This suggests that while retail investors may be selling out of fear, significant buying walls are absorbing the sell pressure, indicating accumulation by larger traders or funds.
The altcoin season index sits at a neutral 45 points, with only 16 altcoins outperforming Bitcoin over a three-month timeframe. Newer projects like KITE have shown resilience, rallying to all-time highs of $0.26 and becoming one of the most overbought altcoins, buoyed by its Binance listing and narrative as an AI agent-focused Layer 1 blockchain.
This market phase, characterized by short-term pumps followed by deeper corrections alongside quiet accumulation, suggests a potential foundation for a future altcoin season built on skepticism rather than euphoria.
