No ‘Banana Zone’ Yet – Altcoins Remain Out of Favor While Bitcoin (BTC) Dominance Persists

Speculation around a broader altcoin surge continues, especially against a backdrop of cautious trading and selective demand.

New data, however, demonstrates that the ongoing trends continue to favor Bitcoin as the market’s primary destination.

Altcoin Hopes Dim

Matrixport’s latest analysis casts doubt on the likelihood of an imminent altcoin rally, which leaves Bitcoin the only reliable asset in the current market. The report notes that for altcoins to gain momentum, Bitcoin dominance would need to decline meaningfully.

This outcome, however, is not supported by current market conditions. Retail participation is subdued, and speculative activity in the futures market is near cycle lows, which signaled a limited appetite for risk beyond Bitcoin.

Demand is heavily concentrated in spot Bitcoin purchases, rather than leveraged trades. Despite the slow pace of its rally, BTC continues to be viewed as the safest trade, especially as analysts anticipate a period of summer consolidation, similar to last year’s price behavior. Altcoin enthusiasm, for now, appears premature.

While altcoins are not seeing any meaningful resurgence and Bitcoin remains the favored venue, the leading asset is not without its own headwinds.

Guarded Optimism Amidst June Jitters

June has historically been a volatile and underwhelming month for Bitcoin. With average returns of just 1.9% and a 50% probability of gains, June lags far behind stronger months like October. Last year’s pattern serves as a reminder of the risk as Bitcoin plunged by more than 7% in June, saw a limited 3.1% recovery in July, and declined another 8.7% in August.

This seasonal weakness has resurfaced in recent price action, aligning with the cautious stance many adopted at the start of the month. As historical patterns weigh on sentiment, traders are bracing for more subdued performance heading into mid-summer.

Meanwhile, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index currently reads 57, placing it squarely in Neutral territory. According to Reflexivity Research’s note, this marks a shift from previous weeks when sentiment hovered in the “Greed” zone. Traders now appear more cautious, with neither strong optimism nor panic driving activity.

The drop from last month’s peak score of 75 reflects tempered enthusiasm, likely due to market consolidation and mixed signals. Overall, investors seem to be in a holding pattern, waiting for a clearer trend to emerge.