What exactly defines an “Altcoin Season”?

[etfs]

Altcoin Season occurs when alternative cryptocurrencies consistently outperform Bitcoin over a sustained period. Traders often track metrics such as:

BTC Dominance Decline: A drop in Bitcoin’s market share (often below 60%) signals capital rotation into altcoins.

Top 50 Altcoin Outperformance: If the majority of the top 50 altcoins show higher percentage gains than BTC over a 30–90 day window, this often confirms an altcoin season.

Historical Patterns: Previous cycles show altcoin surges typically follow major BTC bull runs, when capital seeks higher yields in smaller-cap tokens.

[jacson4]

It’s when altcoins collectively outperform Bitcoin across most sectors for several consecutive weeks.

[alex10]

Altcoin season marks the phase when capital rotation favors high-risk, high-reward assets.