Memecoins and ETFs revolutionize the Altcoin market: Is the era of uniform altcoin season over?

<p> <strong> Memecoins and ETFs revolutionize the Altcoin market: Is the era of uniform altcoin season over? </strong> </p>
The fragmentation of the Altcoin market: Memecoins and ETFs determine the new scenario
a new altcoin cycle in change
The Altcoin market is in a phase of fragmentation in which memo cinema and Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) play a dominant role. As a result, traditional old coins are pushed into the background. Ethereum remains strong and could stand up to a future altcoin rally, but there is a lot of indication that the times of uniform altcoin season are over.
According to the Altcoin Season Index of the Blockchain Center, an old coin season is defined as a period in which 75 % of the 50 most important old coins Bitcoin exceeds via a 90-day-rolling window. Short-term rashes, such as those in March 2024 and January 2025, were not sufficient to be considered a full-fledged old coin season. Historically speaking, the Altcoin season describes a market phase in which alternative cryptocurrencies do better than Bitcoin over several months. This was particularly pronounced in the cycles between 2015-2018 and 2019-2022. However, current developments point out that a uniform increase in old coins may no longer be observed.
distraction by Memecoins
Analysts have found that specialized platforms such as Pump.Fun have promoted the rapid creation of memoins, which has deducted speculative capital from established old coins. In a tweet, Miles German noticed: "Early Birds and Insiders were incredibly rich. And truly that there was a lot of money to make-and so it is still not disappearing. But most retailers who got on late have lost, as is the case in most Altcoin cycles."
This development has had a lasting impact on market dynamics. Capital, which used to support the top 200 alcohol, is now increasingly being invested in on-chain token with low capitalization. While early market participants were able to benefit from Memecoins, late retailers have often suffered significant losses.
institutional influence by ETFS
The introduction of Bitcoin-Spot-ETFs, such as Blackrocks Ishares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in January 2024, has attracted considerable institutional capital-with traces of $ 129 billion. This flow of capital in Bitcoin may have reduced the attention and liquidity of old coins because institutions regulated and prefer trustworthy investment instruments.
The Altcoin market no longer moves homogeneously. Different sectors show different developments: While Real-World Asset (RWA) tokens have risen 15 times, Gamefi has lost 50 % of its value. This shift shows that specific stories and applications have become more important than the Altcoin category as a whole.
Ethereum central role
Ethereum (ETH) remains a crucial pillar in the cryptosystem, which includes defi, NFTS and Layer 2 applications. Even if memo cinema and ETFs are currently in the spotlight, Ethereum continues its growth course. With the introduction of ETH ETFs on the horizon, its status is further strengthened as a "blue chip" crypto-asset, which offers structure in the increasingly fragmented old coat.
When writing this article, the ETH price is $ 2,052.18 according to CoinmarketCap, which corresponds to an increase of 0.47 % within the last day and 6.04 % in the last week. This stability could be an indication of the persistent relevance of Ethereum in the cryptoma market.