85% of Crypto Investors See Altcoin Season Coming, Yet Portfolios Remain Bitcoin-Heavy

An altcoin season refers to a market phase when alternative cryptocurrencies (altcoins), other than Bitcoin, outperform Bitcoin in terms of price growth. With Bitcoin recently surpassing the $111,000 mark, many analysts are predicting the potential for the biggest altcoin season in history — one that could significantly reshape the crypto landscape.

From an individual investor's perspective, a recent study by ChainPlay reveals that 85% of crypto investors are optimistic about the upcoming altcoin season. However, despite this bullish sentiment, their actual portfolios tell a different story: most remain heavily weighted in Bitcoin. This contrast between sentiment and strategy raises key questions about investor confidence, risk tolerance, and market timing. Let’s explore these insights below.

Key Findings

Altcoin Season Expectations

• 85% of crypto investors expect an altcoin season within the next 12 months.

Among them:

• 56.4% believe Bitcoin price consolidation will be the main trigger for an altcoin season.
• 50.1% believe Layer 1 tokens will lead the next altcoin season.

Altcoin Allocation in Crypto Portfolios

• 54.8% of crypto investors allocate less than 25% of their portfolios to altcoins.
• 56.5% of crypto investors plan to increase their altcoin allocation.

Methodology

We surveyed 991 crypto investors worldwide to gain insights into their expectations regarding the altcoin season.

In terms of age:

• 35.2% of respondents are between 13 and 28 years old, representing Generation Z.
• 46.8% are between 29 and 44 years old, classified as Millennials.
• 14.9% are between 45 and 60 years old, falling under Generation X.
• 3.1% are over 60 years old.

Experience-wise, 91.1% of respondents have more than one year of experience in the crypto market.

Regarding gender:

• 40.8% of participants identify as female.
• 58.6% identify as male.
• 0.6% prefer not to disclose their gender.

Geographic distribution:

• 14% are from the Americas (North, Central, South America, and the Caribbean).
• 2.5% are from the Asia-Pacific region (including Central and South Asia, Northeast and Southeast Asia, Australia, and Oceania).
• 35.5% are from Europe.
• 48% are from the Middle East and Africa.

85% Of Crypto Investors Expect An Altcoin Season Within The Next 12 Months.

84.7% of crypto investors believe another altcoin season is likely to occur within the next year, while only 15.3% remain skeptical. Despite broader market fluctuations, this majority shows strong investor confidence in altcoins, boosted by expected Federal Reserve rate cuts that typically favor risk-on assets and increase market liquidity.

The Main Triggers For An Altcoin Season

The results highlight key catalysts expected to trigger an altcoin season. A majority (56.4%) identify Bitcoin price stagnation as the primary factor, anticipating a shift in focus to altcoins once Bitcoin’s volatility subsides. Positive regulatory news ranks second at 33.1%, underscoring the importance of a favorable legal environment in boosting investor confidence.

Two additional factors are emerging technologies (28.7%) and social media hype (25.5%), suggesting that retail investors prioritize tangible narratives and community excitement over abstract metrics.

Notably, the relatively low emphasis on institutional investment (18.2%) indicates that the surveyed group expects altcoin momentum to be driven mainly by individual investors.

Layer-1s Are Most Likely to Lead the Next Altcoin Season

When it comes to which altcoin categories will lead the charge, Layer 1 blockchains (e.g., Ethereum) lead with 50.1% support, underscoring their foundational role in the digital asset ecosystem. Following closely, AI and Web3 infrastructure tokens capture 40%, reflecting strong confidence in their transformative potential. Meme coins continue to draw notable speculative interest, accounting for 32.1%.

Although 93% of GameFi projects are dead, Gaming/Metaverse still receives a notable level of attention from the crypto community, at 23.8%.

Meanwhile, DeFi (17.1%) and Real-World Asset (RWA) tokens (12%) attract less attention, signaling a shift toward newer, high-growth narratives.

Individual investors believe major Layer 1 blockchains like Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, and Solana will lead the altcoin season, indicating that altcoin momentum will focus on established platforms. Meanwhile, smaller chains and Layer 2 solutions are still emerging and gaining traction, showing potential for future growth but not yet ready to take the lead.

Investment Strategies If The Altcoin Season Does Not Happen

If an altcoin season doesn't occur within the next 12 months, many will shift to more conservative strategies.

The survey shows a clear move toward de-risking: 55.7% plan to focus on Bitcoin, 34.9% on traditional assets like stocks, and 28.2% on stablecoins for capital preservation. Others consider exiting most crypto positions (12.8%) or rotating into RWA or Defi (8.7%)

When asked what attracts investment into altcoins, 39.6% of individual investors prioritized real-world utility and innovation, signaling a shift from hype to long-term value. Trusted, transparent teams followed at 33.6%, highlighting the importance of strong leadership. 

Other factors—like exchange listings, community activity, staking rewards, security, and partnerships—were each cited by 16–20%. Tokenomics, such as limited supply, ranked lower at 10.7%, suggesting fundamentals now outweigh scarcity.

Individual Investors’ Crypto Portfolios Are Heavily Allocated to Bitcoin

More Than Half Of Crypto Investors Allocate Under 25% Of Their Portfolios To Altcoins.

Although many individual investors express strong confidence that an altcoin season will occur soon, their current investment behavior remains cautious. Data from the ChainPlay Survey indicates that more than half of crypto investors (54.8%) allocate only 1–25% of their portfolios to altcoins, while just 20.1% dedicate more than 50% to altcoins. 

56.5% Of Crypto Investors Plan To Increase Their Allocation To Altcoins.

When asked about their future plans for altcoin allocation, 56.5% of investors indicated they intend to increase their exposure to altcoins, while 37.2% plan to maintain their current allocation levels. Only 6.3% of respondents said they plan to reduce their altcoin holdings.

Conclusion

A significant paradox emerges from recent crypto investor sentiment. While an overwhelming 85% anticipate an altcoin season within the next year, more than half (54.8%) currently allocate less than 25% of their portfolios to altcoins, indicating a cautious, Bitcoin-heavy approach.

This cautious optimism is, however, poised for a shift, with 56.5% of investors planning to increase their altcoin holdings. Bitcoin price consolidation is seen as the primary trigger, with Layer 1 tokens expected to lead. Investors prioritize real-world utility and strong teams when selecting altcoins.

Should an altcoin season not materialize, a majority would pivot to more conservative strategies, such as focusing on Bitcoin or traditional assets. This highlights a prudent investor base, optimistic about altcoin potential but grounded by risk management, carefully balancing bullish sentiment with current portfolio realities.