What is Altcoin Season?

In the crypto market, the spotlight often shines on Bitcoin. But there are times when other cryptocurrencies, also known as altcoins, steal the show. These moments, called altcoin seasons, are periods when altcoins outperform Bitcoin in price growth, often delivering substantial gains for traders and investors.

In 2025, shifting market dynamics are fueling conversations about whether the next big altcoin season is already here.

Let’s break down what altcoins are, how altcoin season works, and how you can tap into it with Topper.

What is an Altcoin?

An altcoin is any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin. Some definitions also exclude Ethereum from the altcoin category due to its size and ecosystem, but generally, altcoins represent the vast majority of crypto projects on the market.

Altcoins can serve different purposes:

• Payment-focused coins (e.g., Litecoin)
• Smart contract platforms (e.g., Solana, Cardano)
• Decentralized finance (e.g., Uniswap)
• Stablecoins (e.g., USDC, USDT)

With thousands in circulation, altcoins make up a significant portion of the overall crypto market, offering investors exposure to diverse blockchain innovations.

Altcoin Season Explained

Altcoin season, often called altseason, is a period when altcoins, cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin, experience rapid, widespread price growth. During this time, many altcoins outperform Bitcoin as traders shift capital into smaller, high-potential projects.

Altcoin season usually follows a strong Bitcoin rally, when profits from BTC begin rotating into other crypto assets. This shift often leads to explosive market movements and higher volatility across the broader crypto market.‍

Key signs of an Altcoin Season include:

• Falling Bitcoin dominance
  • Bitcoin’s share of the total crypto market cap drops as investors move funds into altcoins.
• Broad altcoin rallies
  • Multiple altcoins see significant price surges, not just a few trending tokens.
• Rising trading volumes
  • Increased investor activity and capital inflows drive momentum and fuel further gains.

Altcoin seasons tend to create major buzz in the crypto community - offering high-risk, high-reward opportunities for those who can spot the trend early.

Understanding Bitcoin Dominance

Bitcoin dominance refers to the percentage of the total cryptocurrency market capitalization that belongs to Bitcoin. It serves as a key indicator of market trends and investor sentiment.

When Bitcoin dominance is rising, it often signals that investors are seeking stability and reducing exposure to riskier assets - a sign that altcoin season may be cooling off.

When Bitcoin dominance declines, it suggests that traders are rotating capital into altcoins in search of higher returns - a classic setup for altcoin season.

In short, tracking Bitcoin dominance can help investors gauge when the market might be shifting from a Bitcoin-led phase to one favoring altcoins.

When Has the Altcoin Season Happened Before?

• 2017-2018 ICO Boom
  • A wave of initial coin offerings led to explosive altcoin gains, with Bitcoin dominance dropping from 86% to 39%
• 2020-2021 DeFi & Memecoin Era
  • Decentralized finance projects and memecoins like DOGE and SHIB surged, drawing huge retail attention
• 2025 Shift
  • The current market is seeing capital rotation into utility-driven and regulatory-friendly tokens, signaling a maturing altseason landscape

What Altcoins Does Topper Offer?

Topper gives you easy access to a wide variety of altcoins, all in one secure platform.

Here are the top 10 altcoins purchased in USD by transaction volume on Topper in 2025:

1. SOL	2. ETH	3. XRP	4. USDT	5. USDC
6. LTC	7. DOGE	8. KAS	9. XLM	10. ADA

Explore the full list of supported assets on Topper here.

How to Buy Altcoins on Topper

Buying altcoins on Topper is simple:

1. To get started, select the digital asset you want to buy on a partner app or website and click "Buy with Topper."
2. Enter your spending amount or crypto purchase using Topper’s calculator.
3. Provide your email or sign in with Google or Apple.
4. Choose your country, accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, then click "Continue."
5. Select or add a payment method, then click "Review your order."
6. Click "Pay X amount" to complete the payment. To review your order, click "Order details," and track your order with "Follow transaction."

Watch our step-by-step video tutorial here:

Start Your Altcoin Journey Today

Altcoin season is one of the most exciting times in crypto. Whether you’re eyeing DeFi tokens, memecoins, or smart contract platforms, Topper offers a seamless way to get in on the action.

Get started today on Topper and be ready for the next big move in altcoins.

‍

NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE
Please note that Uphold and its affiliates do not provide investment, tax, or legal advice. This message is for informational purposes only and takes no account of particular personal or market circumstances, and should not be relied upon as investment, tax, or legal advice. For investment, tax, or legal advice and before taking any action you should consult your own advisors. Note that digital assets such as cryptocurrencies present unique risks for investors. Please see our disclaimer regarding risks specific to holding digital assets before investing.