The crypto market is showing early signs of a rebound after an eight-month period that erased over $2 trillion in value since peaking in October 2025. Over the past week alone, the total market cap climbed 8.93%, with net inflows reaching $152.46 billion. A key signal fueling this optimism is the altcoin season index, which has crossed the 53 mark for the first time in three months, pointing to renewed investor interest in non-Bitcoin assets.
The altcoin season index, which measures capital flowing into other cryptocurrencies relative to Bitcoin, hit its highest level since early June 2026. While an official altcoin season is only declared when the index surpasses 75, the current reading is notable because altcoin market capitalization is now moving in sync with the index. In early June, when the index last touched 53, altcoin market cap was declining sharply; now both are trending upward together.
Performance among top altcoins over the past 90 days highlights a narrative-driven market. Governance tokens, perpetual DEX tokens, AI coins, and privacy-focused assets have led the rally. Hyperliquid (HYPE) surged 144%, Jito (JTO) gained 176%, and Aerodrome (AERO) rose 79%. On the privacy side, Zcash (ZEC) also posted strong returns. Terra Luna Classic (LUNC) added 71% amid the rotation. Despite these gains, net outflows from the broader crypto market hit $430.57 billion over the same period, indicating capital has been concentrating in a select group of tokens.
Market leaders Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) remain under pressure, down 7.7% and 15% respectively over 90 days. Bitcoin is currently holding at $1.27 trillion in market cap, up 1.5% on the day, but sentiment was briefly shaken by a $216 million BTC sale by Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) to fund a dividend payment.
In a separate analysis, crypto trader Credible Crypto told the NinjaTrader podcast that altcoins beaten down by 80-90% from all-time highs now offer a better risk-reward than Bitcoin. He pointed out that Bitcoin has been in a higher time frame downtrend since hitting $126,000 but is now trading inside a support zone where buyers accumulated in 2024. On-chain data shows nearly 80% of BTC supply is held by long-term holders, historically a sign of accumulation. “Many alts are now basically where Bitcoin was when Bitcoin was trading at $3K or $6K or even $15K,” he said, adding that just as that was the best time to buy Bitcoin, now may be the best time to buy altcoins. Credible Crypto also warned that not every token will recover, emphasizing the need to pick projects with working products and active users.
