The long-awaited altcoin season may have just arrived. As of July 18, Bitcoin’s market dominance has officially dropped below 62%, a critical threshold that often signals a shift in market momentum. This decline comes as capital floods into altcoins, pushing the total crypto market cap (excluding BTC) to fresh yearly highs.
BTC Dominance Plunges – A Classic Altseason Trigger
Bitcoin’s dominance, which hovered above 66% in early June, has now plunged to 61.68%, according to TradingView data. Historically, any sustained move below the 62%–60% zone tends to mark the beginning of altcoin season, when investors rotate profits from Bitcoin into high-growth altcoins.
Source: Tradingview
This isn’t just a short-term fluctuation. The sharp and consistent decline over the past two weeks reflects a macro trend shift as traders anticipate higher returns from Ethereum, Solana, and emerging sectors like AI tokens and gaming ecosystems.
Crypto Market Cap Excluding BTC Hits $1.48 Trillion
While Bitcoin consolidates near $119K, altcoins are climbing aggressively. The total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies excluding BTC has now surpassed $1.48 trillion, rising over 20% in the last month alone.
Source: Tradingview
This surge is not isolated to a few tokens. Leading altcoins on recording double-digit gains, fueled by renewed retail and institutional interest.
Altcoin Season Index Hits 51 – Official Mid-Zone
The Altcoin Season Index from BlockchainCenter.net has reached 51, breaking out of the “Bitcoin Season” zone for the first time since Q1 2024. A reading above 50 suggests that altcoins are starting to outperform BTC across multiple timeframes.
Source: BlockchainCenter.net
If the trend continues and the index pushes toward the 75 mark, the market will enter full altseason mode—historically a period of extreme volatility and explosive gains in the altcoin sector.
Final Thoughts: Is This the Altcoin Season Everyone Was Waiting For?
With Bitcoin dominance breaking down, altcoin market caps soaring, and the Altseason Index breaching key levels, all signals are now flashing green for a new altcoin cycle. Momentum is clearly shifting away from Bitcoin toward riskier, higher-upside assets.For traders and investors, the next few weeks may offer prime opportunities—but timing will be key. If BTC remains range-bound while inflows into alts continue, we could see another wave of speculative growth across mid and low-cap tokens.
