Q3 was supposed to be altcoin season, but it never really showed up. Aside from a handful of standouts, most tokens stalled, and the sharp sell-offs in late September left many traders questioning whether the rotation from $BTC into alts had fizzled.
Now, as Q4 begins, the charts are starting to tell a different story. Altcoin dominance looks eerily similar to 2017 , when a flat curve suddenly gave way to a vertical breakout that defined the back half of the bull run.
The total crypto market cap excluding Bitcoin has also passed the $1.49T level , a zone that previously acted as resistance in 2021 before flipping into support. Historically, these kinds of retests mark the foundation for trend reversals.
The macro backdrop adds fuel to the setup. The Fed’s recent rate cuts loosen fin