• CryptoQuant data showed around 38% of altcoins are now trading near their all-time lows, marking one of the deepest sector drawdowns in four years.
• The analyst said investor interest in smaller tokens has faded, though some view the downturn as a potential buying opportunity.
• Unlike the FTX-driven crash of 2022, which stemmed from panic selling, the current weakness reflects capital rotating into other assets.

The cryptocurrency market’s nearly $2 trillion haircut since October is pushing altcoins to the brink, with 38% of the sector currently nearing all-time lows, signaling one of the deepest 'altcoin winters' – even worse than the FTX crash of 2022.

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According to CryptoQuant data, the figure stood at around 35% in April last year and dipped to 37.8% just after the FTX crash, but this is the first time in four years that it’s been this low.

“This metric shows how much altcoins are still under pressure. In fact, this represents the largest regression of altcoins observed during this cycle,” the CrytoQuant analyst wrote. 

The analyst added that investors remain cautious and “continue to lose interest in altcoins,” though periods of prolonged weakness can also create “buying opportunities.” According to TradingView data, many of the tokens under pressure are newer projects, with prices below $1.

Altcoins Near Record Lows In Crypto Market Slump

The drop in altcoin values after the FTX crash was caused by forced liquidations and panic. In 2026, the cause is very different. Capital is rotating into equities and commodities like gold and oil, where volatility is currently more profitable. 

“Capital is looking at gold, silver, and other hard assets, but that isn’t always going to be the case,” Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) chairman Tom Lee said in an interview with CNBC on Monday.

The overall cryptocurrency market rose 1.6% in the last 24 hours, but traded below the $2.4 trillion mark. Bitcoin (BTC) rose 2.1% to around $67,400 while Ethereum (ETH) rose 0.9% to around $1,957.

Read also: Bitcoin Rebounds Toward $70K After US-Iran Clash – ‘Sign Of Life,’ Says VanEck CEO

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