Altcoin Season 2025: 5 Cryptos Primed to Outperform Bitcoin
Altcoins are rallying hard—again. While Bitcoin grabs headlines, these under-the-radar plays could deliver 10x returns before the cycle peaks.
The Contenders: Ethereum killers, AI tokens, and niche DeFi protocols are flipping the script. Here’s who’s leading the charge.
Dark Horse Alert: That obscure chain you dismissed in 2023? It’s now outpacing blue-chip cryptos (and yes, Wall Street still doesn’t get it).
Cynical Take: Just in time for another round of ‘this time it’s different’ from the same suits who called crypto dead in 2022.
he altcoin market is showing early signs of a rally, but renowned crypto analyst VirtualBacon urges caution. In a recent post on X, he shares his altcoin portfolio, trading strategy, and macro insights, offering valuable perspectives for investors.
Altcoins are waking up
$ETH broke $2,500. $SOL hit $180. $PEPE doubled in a month.
But it’s not time to APE into low caps just yet.
Here are the 6 altcoins I’m trading this week, and what this early stage of the bull market tells us about what’s coming next
Altcoin Market Analysis
Typically, an altcoin rally follows a simple pattern: Bitcoin triggers the market, followed by ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL), and finally, large-cap cryptos shift focus to small caps and meme coins. According to VirtualBacon, the market is currently in the large-cap breakout phase of the latest altcoin season.
Since April 1, the altcoin market has grown by at least 27.23%. Ethereum surged by 47.04%, and Solana by 46.73%. Smaller altcoins like PEPE, TAO, and SUPER saw significant growth, with each reporting a rise of at least 40%.
Key Factors Driving the Altcoin Trend
A critical factor in the current altcoin rally is the temporary halt of the US-China tariff war for 90 days, reducing market volatility and boosting liquidity. VirtualBacon highlights that the Global Liquidity Index recently posted its first higher high since 2021, a key indicator for an altcoin season.
Not Full Altcoin Season Yet
Despite the positive momentum, VirtualBacon cautions that the market has not fully entered an altcoin season. He points out that until the US Federal Reserve pauses Quantitative Tightening (QT), the current altcoin rally remains a relief rally, not a full-fledged altseason.
Top Altcoins to Watch
Ethereum and solana are recommended for their strong fundamentals, with Ethereum surging by 64.5% and Solana by 37.7% in the past 30 days.
VirtualBacon suggests ALGO and IOTA as alternatives to XRP, with ALGO praised for its low price, liquidity, and tokenomics, while IOTA is highlighted for its new Move-based L1 and mainnet.
JUP stands out as a dominant player in the Solana ecosystem, with BORG (Mobile DEX) and SAROS (DLMM platform) emerging as promising projects.
SUPER is recommended for its consistency and long-term potential, especially with upcoming staker rewards for the community.
TAO is compared to Bitcoin in the AI crypto space, with the token showing a 2x rise from its low, following its recent subnet launch and token upgrades.
PEPE’s market cap has risen dramatically from $2B to $5B in a month, while PENGU is recommended for its cultural meme and strong consolidation after the latest airdrop.
AXL and CHEX are recommended for their solid fundamentals, with AXL showing no significant unlocks and CHEX compared to Securitize for BlackRock’s BUIDL fund.
