Altcoin Season Index
Is It Altcoin Season Right Now?
The Altcoin Season Index is currently 50/100 — that's the middle zone, not. Mixed — partial rotation. Below, the CoinGlass benchmark is explained properly, plus the leading signals it misses: the ALT/BTC ratio, real BTC dominance, and the Altcoin Rules composite score.
By Menno van Ravels - 13 years in crypto, 3 bear markets survived, zero paid promotions
Altcoin Season Index
CoinGlass benchmarkThe index everyone quotes — here's how to read it properly.
The index has been in the middle zone for 5 days and has moved sideways this week.
Current stretch
5 days
in the middle zone
Sustained altcoin seasons since 2017
5
See table below
Completed middle zone stretches
15–407 days
across 36 periods since 2017
| Start | End | Duration | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2022 | Sep 2022 | 37 days | 98 |
| Mar 2021 | Jun 2021 | 88 days | 98 |
| Aug 2020 | Sep 2020 | 27 days | 89 |
| Jan 2018 | Mar 2018 | 71 days | 100 |
| Apr 2017 | Jul 2017 | 117 days | 100 |
Sustained = 14+ consecutive days in a zone; brief spikes don't count. Descriptive only — five past seasons are too few to predict the next one.
Data: CoinGlass · Updated Nov 13, 2026 · Refreshed every 30–60 minutes.
In one sentence
Altcoin season is defined by falling BTC dominance and a rising ALT/BTC ratio moving together — the Altcoin Rules composite score then tells you the stage: below 30 is early, above 70 means the rotation is already overheated.
Key facts: BTC dominance falling from a local peak is the earliest leading signalALT/BTC ratio crossing above its 50-day moving average is one of the signals tracked for a broadening altcoin moveAltcoin Rules score above 70 signals the rotation is already overheatingThe five sustained altcoin seasons since 2017 lasted 27 to 117 days on the CoinGlass indexRisk Wave above 75 on Bitcoin marks the macro cap on how far the rotation can extend
Decision framework: Altcoin season is a regime, not a single date — the framework looks for convergence across dominance, the ALT/BTC ratio, and the Altcoin Rules composite score before treating conditions as genuinely favourable for broad altcoin exposure.
Live Signal Panel
1 of 3 signals favourable — Mixed — partial rotation
ALT/BTC Ratio
0.3758
Low — ALT/BTC Ratio Subdued
Ratio of total altcoin market cap to Bitcoin market cap. Rising = rotation into alts.
ALT/BTC Risk Score
25
out of 100
Blended Risk Wave + percentile oscillator on the ALT/BTC ratio. Below 30 = calmer conditions.
BTC Dominance
58.4%
High relative to its own history
BTC's share of total crypto market cap, scored against its own historical range.
See full Altcoin Rules score →ALT/BTC ratio and dominance from CoinGecko, cached 24 hours · Zones: 75+ Altcoin Season, 25 and below Bitcoin Season · Not financial advice.
The Alpha Factory Altcoin Season Methodology
The CoinGlass number tells you what already happened; these signals lead it.
According to CoinGlass, its index counts which of the top 100 altcoins outperformed Bitcoin over the last 90 days — a lagging read, since by the time 75% of those coins have already beaten BTC, the move has already happened. Alpha Factory tracks three leading signals instead:
- 1
ALT/BTC Ratio — The Core Rotation Signal
Total altcoin market cap divided by Bitcoin's. A rising ratio means capital is flowing into altcoins. Alpha Factory scores it on a 0–100 risk scale — see the regime table below for what each range means.
- 2
BTC Dominance Oscillator — The Regime Confirmer
Bitcoin's share of total crypto market cap. When dominance rolls over from a local high, it is read as a shift from a Bitcoin-led market to broader altcoin rotation. Alpha Factory scores the current level against its own historical percentile range.
- 3
Altcoin Rules Composite — The Cycle Position Check
Even in a genuine rotation, a late-stage overheated rally is a different position in the cycle than an early one. Alpha Factory's Altcoin Rules multi-indicator composite score gates the regime read against cycle position: below 30 during a rotation is early, above 70 is stretched.
| Regime | ALT/BTC Risk Score | Dominance | Altcoin Rules Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altcoin Season — Early | < 30 (low reading) | Rolling over from high | 0–30 (accumulation) |
| Altcoin Season — Mid | 30–55 (neutral) | Declining | 30–70 (patience) |
| Altcoin Season — Late / Over | > 55 (stretched) | Bottoming or rising | 70–100 (danger) |
| Bitcoin Season | Any | Rising or elevated | Any |
What Triggers Altcoin Season?
Altcoin season builds gradually: Bitcoin consolidates near a cycle high, BTC dominance rolls over from a local peak, the ALT/BTC ratio breaks above its 50-day moving average, and Fear & Greed clears 65 without tipping into extreme euphoria. The catalyst is almost always a Bitcoin pause, not a crash — sharp BTC drops usually hit altcoins harder, so rotation only activates once BTC stabilises and liquidity searches for higher-beta returns.
How Do You Know When Altcoin Season Ends?
The end is easier to spot than the start: the ALT/BTC ratio rolls over, BTC dominance bottoms and turns up, and the Altcoin Rules score climbs above 70. Confirming signals: funding rates spike on altcoin perpetuals, Fear & Greed hits Extreme Greed for 3+ consecutive days, and large-caps show blow-off tops. Risk Wave above 75 on Bitcoin is the macro confirmation the cycle is overheating.
ALT/BTC Ratio vs BTC Dominance — What Each Tells You
ALT/BTC Ratio (Flow Signal)
- Measures altcoin market cap relative to Bitcoin's — a ratio, not a dollar figure
- Rising ratio = alts growing faster than BTC in market-cap terms
- Sensitive to new money entering the market (e.g. ETF inflows going into BTC can drag the ratio down even during good alt conditions)
- Best used as a momentum signal — direction matters more than level
BTC Dominance (Regime Signal)
- Measures Bitcoin's share of total crypto market cap
- Falling dominance = altcoins growing faster than Bitcoin
- Less sensitive to new money entering — it is a relative measure
- Best used as a regime classifier — the direction over weeks, not days
The strongest altcoin season signals come when both move together: the ratio rises and dominance falls simultaneously. When they diverge (ratio rising but dominance holding flat, or vice versa), conditions are mixed and selectivity matters more than broad altcoin exposure.
Altcoin Rules: The Entry Gating Layer
Knowing it is altcoin season is half the answer. Knowing which altcoins to buy and when the risk is acceptable is the other half. Alpha Factory's Altcoin Rules framework uses multiple weighted indicators — Risk Wave, 2-Week RSI, 4-Year High Distance, BTC Dominance, Fear & Greed, ALT/BTC Overheating, BTC Production Cost, with Funding Rate and Token Unlocks as live modifiers — to produce a single composite score from 0 to 100 for any coin in the universe.
0–30
Accumulation Zone
Indicators read low: the cycle looks early
30–70
Patience Zone
Indicators read mid-range: mixed cycle position
70–100
Danger Zone
Indicators read high: the cycle looks late and stretched
During confirmed altcoin season conditions (ALT/BTC ratio rising + dominance falling), an Altcoin Rules score below 30 reads as an early point in the rotation. The same regime at a score above 70 reads as a late, crowded one. This is a description of the indicator reading, not a recommendation to buy or sell.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it altcoin season right now?
It depends on whether the CoinGlass benchmark, the ALT/BTC ratio, and BTC dominance are aligned — see the live verdict in the Live Signal Panel above for today's read, and the methodology below for how each signal is scored.
How long does altcoin season usually last?
The five sustained altcoin seasons since 2017 (14+ consecutive days above 75 on the CoinGlass index) lasted between 27 and 117 days. A sample this small cannot predict the next one, but it sets a realistic range: weeks to a few months, not years.
What triggers altcoin season?
Historically the sequence is: Bitcoin consolidates near a cycle high, BTC dominance rolls over from a local peak, and the ALT/BTC ratio starts rising as capital rotates from Bitcoin into altcoins. No single trigger works alone — the strongest signal is dominance and the ratio moving together.
Is 75 on the Altcoin Season Index a buy signal?
No. The index measures past performance over a trailing window, so by the time it crosses 75 much of the rotation has already happened. It confirms altcoin season; it does not predict it. Leading signals like BTC dominance rolling over and the ALT/BTC ratio breaking higher move earlier.
Why does BTC dominance matter for altcoin season?
BTC dominance is Bitcoin's share of total crypto market cap. When it falls, altcoins are growing faster than Bitcoin — the defining condition of altcoin season. Because it is a relative measure, it filters out the noise of new money entering the whole market.
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This is not financial advice. The signals and framework on this page are educational in nature. Crypto investing involves significant risk including total loss of capital. Past signal accuracy is not indicative of future results. Always conduct your own research.