Altcoin market faces extended downturn as capital flows to larger cryptocurrencies

Altcoins in the cryptocurrency market are experiencing significant capital outflows amid increased risk aversion.

Summary

• Capital is flowing out of altcoins as risk appetite wanes, with rallies shortening sharply and open altcoin futures positions down 55% since October, wiping out over $40 billion.
• Investors are favoring larger, established cryptocurrencies—especially Bitcoin and Ethereum—as macroeconomic factors like tariffs and interest-rate expectations increasingly drive crypto price swings.
• Market indicators remain volatile and bearish, with altcoins underperforming top tokens, liquidity stagnant, and retail speculation shifting toward equities and emerging tech themes such as AI and robotics.

According to Wintermute, low-market-capitalization tokens, previously attractive for their high-yield potential, now maintain investor interest for only limited periods.

The average upward trend in altcoins in 2025 lasted just 20 days, compared to 40 to 60 days in previous years, according to the over-the-counter crypto trading report.

Open positions in altcoin futures have declined 55 percent since October, resulting in the closure of more than $40 billion in positions, the report found.

Jake Ostrovskis, Head of OTC Trading at Wintermute, attributed the trend to declining market enthusiasm and individual investors redirecting speculative capital to other sectors. Investors are now favoring larger, more established crypto assets, particularly Bitcoin and Ethereum, while positioning for macroeconomic developments, Ostrovskis stated.

Macroeconomic factors have emerged as primary drivers of cryptocurrency price movements in recent months. Statements by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding tariffs and expectations of interest rate cuts triggered sharp fluctuations in Bitcoin prices, according to market data.

The market experienced substantial sell-offs following tariff announcements in April and October of last year, while currency depreciation contributed to Bitcoin reaching an all-time high in October, market observers noted.

Cosmo Jiang, a general partner at Pantera Capital Management, described the overall market outlook as weak. “By most indicators, the market is still volatile and bearish. Bitcoin needs to lead the way for a healthy recovery,” Jiang stated.

The CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season Index shows that crypto assets outside the top 10 by market capitalization have underperformed major tokens significantly over the last 90 days.

Altcoin investors faced substantial losses during the sharp sell-off in October, when $19 billion was erased from digital assets in a single day, with no strong recovery observed since, according to market data.

Jasper De Maere, a strategist at Wintermute, reported that altcoin liquidity has remained stagnant as capital seeks new speculative opportunities.

De Maere noted that while cryptocurrency served as the primary speculation area in 2021, individual investor interest has shifted toward stock market themes, including space, quantum physics, robotics, and artificial intelligence.