Bitcoin Dominance Hits 57.8%—Here's What Actually Happens to Alts

Bitcoin’s flexing again. BTC dominance is creeping toward 60% while the king itself sits at $96K (down from recent highs after liquidations and ETF selling). Meanwhile, altcoins are getting absolutely wrecked—Ethereum down 9%, Solana down 15%, the whole alt portfolio basically screaming for mercy.

But here’s the thing: this might actually be setup, not breakdown.

BTC Dominance 101: Why This Number Matters

Dominance is just “what % of total crypto market cap does Bitcoin own?” At 57.8%, Bitcoin controls more than half the market while 20,000+ altcoins fight for scraps.

High dominance = risk-off mode. Low dominance = capital rotation to alts.

Historically:

• 2017: Dominance dropped from 65% → 35% = massive alt boom
• 2021: Hit 70% at the crash, fell to 40% = ETH hit $4K, alts exploded

The pattern is clear: altseason usually starts when dominance peaks and reverses. Right now we’re still climbing, which means alts stay sidelined.

The Real Signal: Stablecoin Dominance is Rising

While BTC dominance climbs, stablecoins are accumulating on exchanges. Translation: dry powder waiting. That’s a coiled spring.

Watch These 3 Signals for Alt Rotation

1. BTC.D drops below 55% — historically the unlock level
2. Altcoin Season Index above 75 — when alts actually wake up
3. ETH starts attracting inflows — smaller alts follow

So Is This the Death of Altseason?

No. This is the loading phase. Bitcoin typically leads early bull cycles, then passes the baton once confidence settles. Right now we’re in the patience zone—unsexy but historically brutal for anyone who FOMO’d into random shitcoins at peak dominance.

The move usually comes when everyone’s bored and stopped checking charts. That’s crypto’s thing.