Can Altcoins 3x From Here? History Says They Can

Key Takeaways

• Altcoins have higher to go. If history repeated this time around, we should expect a peak that’s 3x from 2022’s high of $1.13T.
• Currently, TOTAL3 remains beneath that previous all-time high, even though macro and structural tailwinds for crypto have arguably never been stronger.
• Notorious crypto trader James Wynn dropped two words last night: “Alt Season”

For many altcoin traders, it’s been the gnarliest bull market ever as their favorite coins lag leagues behind Bitcoin, and every breakout fizzles like a damp firework. But before losing hope this cycle, there are plenty of indicators suggesting there are legs in this bull market yet. If history is any guide, altcoins could at least 3x from current levels.

The Structural Bullish Case for Altcoins: Historical TOTAL3 Trends

Search for “Alt Season” on Crypto Twitter and you’ll find plenty of memes to crack a smile on your face. Waiting for Alt Season this bull cycle has been a long and painful event, and many traders feel they’ve physically aged during the process (see below).

But take heart, according to The Milk Road, there are multiple market signals suggesting that altcoins are about to skyrocket from here.

Taking history as a guide, in past cycles, the TOTAL3 index (crypto market cap minus Bitcoin and Ethereum) peaked at roughly $358 Billion in 2017/18, surging to around $1.13 Trillion by 2021/22, a 215% gain (about 3x between peaks).

Currently, TOTAL3 remains beneath that previous all-time high, even though macro and structural tailwinds for crypto have arguably never been stronger.

Technical analysts are watching for a sustained breakout above $1.1 to $1.3 Trillion, a range that rejected price in both 2021 and early 2025.

Macro and Rotational Catalysts

2025 brings a markedly different macro environment for crypto, with a new administration in the White House providing buy-in at the highest level, the U.S. SEC offering regulatory clarity, major ETF and DAT (digital asset treasury) products coming to market, and revived narratives for DeFi, memecoins, and NFTs.

Markets are watching for U.S. rate cuts and broader global liquidity expansions, and Bitcoin dominance appears to have peaked, which is historically a precursor for money flowing into altcoins. The major run in altcoins tends to occur once BTC and ETH have topped and liquidity rotates to lower-cap alts.

Altcoin Season Acceleration: Social and Sentiment Signals

Altcoin trader Crypto Kaleo is one of the most bullish altcoin traders right now, recently posting a timely reminder:

“Up only szn is almost here. Each bull market saw significant acceleration higher at inflection points tracing back to trendlines touching previous cycle’s highs.”

Crypto trader Crypto Nobler’s message is also abundantly clear: in just a few days, altseason’s final and most explosive phase could begin, with smaller low-cap coins potentially rising 200–300x.

He emphasizes that buying the right tokens today could potentially turn investors into millionaires this year, based on historic flow patterns from BTC/ETH into alts once dominance wanes. He’s particularly watching Ondo Finance, Ravencoin, and Sui Network, along with a few others.

Infamous steel-balled crypto trader James Wynn, notorious for his cycle timing, simply dropped two words on X:

“Alt Season.”

He also points to sharp declines in Bitcoin dominance and “cycle timing, volume spikes, and rotational flows starting to align.” In other words? Risk capital is moving into alts, and this cycle is about to move up another gear.

Key Technical Levels and What Comes Next

The immediate battlefield is the $1.1 Trillion to $1.3 Trillion resistance on TOTAL3. A breakout and retest would open up upside targets of $1.39 Trillion and $1.51 Trillion. The historical pattern suggests a parabolic move is possible once this range is cleared, echoing the last two cycles.

While risks and volatility remain, the technical, macro, and social factors now align as they did before the last two altcoin bull runs.

If history rhymes, a 3x move in altcoins (or much higher for select low-caps) won’t surprise anyone closely watching the charts and on-chain signals. In fact, it will certainly be welcomed by altcoin traders counting their gray hairs.