Redefining "Altseason"

CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju is shaking up the idea of “Altcoin Season” as we know it, suggesting that only a select few altcoins will thrive in 2025.

CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju has a new take on “altcoin season.”

According to Ju, only a select few altcoins will thrive in 2025. This differs from past cycles, where almost all altcoins pumped together. Ju believes that this bull run will favor projects with strong projects with real-world use cases.

The Key to Success: ETFs, Hype, and Revenue

Three main factors will determine which altcoins survive, Ju highlights.

First, altcoins with ETF narratives, like XRP, Solana (SOL), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Hedera (HBAR), could see major institutional inflows, similar to Bitcoin’s ETF-driven rally.

Recently, a Bloomberg analysis by James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas predicted a 90% chance of approval for a Litecoin ETF, 75% for Dogecoin, 70% for Solana, and 65% for XRP. While Ju sees a good chance for these coins to rally in this “selective altcoin season” others may miss the train.

Moreover, Trump’s pro-crypto governance is creating a bullish vibe for the next batch of ETF approvals. Raising the ETF bar-o-meter, Franklin Templeton filed for a spot Solana ETF showing rising institutional interest.

Meanwhile, Brazil is preparing for the world’s first spot XRP ETF, which is now listed as pre-operational.

But Ju says apart from ETFs sustainability is the key. Many meme coins rise and fall quickly, but projects with ongoing developer activity, strong communities, and investor confidence will maintain their relevance. We have seen such pump-dump shows with TRUMP and LIBRA.

Finally, revenue-generating projects with solid business models and real-world utility will stand out. Tokens that rely solely on speculation will struggle, while those with solid revenue streams will survive.

The Era of “Everything Pumping” is Over

Ju warns that broad altcoin rallies are a thing of the past. While Bitcoin is hitting new highs, many altcoins are still far from their previous peaks. This suggests that only select tokens will benefit from this cycle, making it crucial for investors to be strategic in their choices.

Recent data supports Ju’s argument. Last week, Bitcoin saw massive outflows of $571 million, while some altcoins, like XRP, saw inflows of $38.3 million. This suggests that investors are being more selective, favoring established altcoins over high-risk bets.

Ethereum and Solana have also shown strength, indicating that only a few major altcoins will benefit from market shifts.

Ju also highlights the current liquidity struggles in crypto. He describes the market as a “PvP fight,” where instead of new money entering, existing capital is being shuffled around between assets. This shows how the market has matured, with institutional players taking control and favoring stability over past retail-driven altcoin booms.

In short, this altcoin season is different and many altcoins will not top and only established coins will gain the investor’s faith. He even urges investors to trust only legitimate projects.