Arthur Hayes, the co-founder of crypto derivatives platform BitMEX, reveals when market participants should expect this cycle’s altcoin season.
The broader crypto market has been anticipating the altcoin season, a period when the prices of alternative cryptocurrencies outperform Bitcoin. Discussions about when this event could commence have taken center stage in the crypto community since Bitcoin first hit the $100,000 mark in December 2024.
Timeline for Altcoin Season
Even though altcoins have also experienced gains, this growth still pales in comparison to previous alt seasons. With many investors asking when this cycle’s altcoin season would commence, Anna Tutova, a journalist affiliated with Fortune, recently threw this question at Hayes at the Token2049 event in Dubai.
In response, Hayes revealed that for the altcoin season to commence, Bitcoin’s price must break above $110,000. It bears mentioning that Bitcoin approached the $110,000 mark in January but failed, with its rally peaking at $109,114.
Hayes expects that once Bitcoin surpasses $110,000, increased volume will drive the price toward loftier targets like $150,000-$200,000 by summer or Q3 2025.
Afterward, he expects profit-taking in Bitcoin to follow suit, with some channeled into altcoins, potentially starting the altcoin season.
2025 Altcoin Season Would Be Smaller Compared to 2021
However, Hayes does not expect the 2025 altcoin season to match the scale of the one experienced in 2021. At that time, the prices of major altcoins skyrocketed, with some achieving over 100x gains.
He speculated that a new narrative could emerge to capture investor interest this time, possibly leading to significant spikes. Hayes also suggested that many of the older “dinosaur” tokens, especially those with high fully diluted valuations (FDVs), limited circulating supply, and minimal demand, are unlikely to rebound in the upcoming altcoin season.
Predictions for Bitcoin, Solana, and Ethereum
Hayes also shared his predictions for Bitcoin’s price trajectory in the coming months and years. According to him, Bitcoin will reach an all-time high of $250,000 by the end of the year, likely after the altcoin season.
Moreover, the crypto entrepreneur expects Bitcoin to continue its rally and eventually hit an ambitious mark of $1 million toward the end of Trump’s presidency in 2028. He issued a similar prediction for Bitcoin in his most recent Substack post.
He attributes this projected surge to several factors, including a shift of capital from traditional assets into hard assets like Bitcoin.
Ethereum to Outperform Solana
Further, he also weighed in on the debate about which altcoin, Ethereum or Solana, would outperform the other. Hayes believes Ethereum will outperform Solana over the next 18 to 24 months.
He made this assertion despite acknowledging that Solana had outperformed Ethereum since 2020, with its price growing from $7 to $265. In particular, Solana has broken its 2021 peak this season while Ethereum remains far behind. Nonetheless, he still believes Ethereum is the wiser investment.
Hayes emphasized that, despite being disliked by some, Ethereum still leads in total value locked (TVL), developer activity, and security, making it the most robust proof-of-stake blockchain.
DisClamier: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author's personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
