Is the Altcoin at the Bottom of the Cycle? Michaël Van De Poppe Reveals a Scenario That Could Bring Explosive Profits

The altcoin market has gone through a challenging period over the past several months. While Bitcoin continues to set new highs, most altcoins have remained stagnant or weakened, causing many investors to lose patience. However, according to Michaël van de Poppe – a renowned analyst in the crypto field – 2026 could mark a significant turning point for the entire altcoin market. Altcoin Season: Expectations Not Yet Realized In Q2 and the first half of Q3 2025, many investors accumulated altcoins with the hope that as Bitcoin recovers, capital flows would shift strongly into alternative projects, creating an explosive “altcoin season.” However, the reality did not meet expectations. Bitcoin experienced strong growth, while the majority of altcoins nearly stagnated. Capital was still “stuck” in altcoins but did not generate significant profits. Investors chose to HODL, waiting for a rotation of funds, but the market continued to show relative weakness compared to Bitcoin. October 2025 sparked hope when some altcoins surged in value over a short period. Many believed that the altcoin season had finally arrived. However, the rapid rally was quickly cut short, with prices sharply correcting after just a few weeks, erasing gains and making market sentiment more pessimistic. According to Michaël van de Poppe, the current environment closely resembles the period between mid-2015 and Q3 2019 – a time when investors became exhausted witnessing other asset markets grow rapidly while crypto lagged behind. “Next year could be the time when this pattern changes. Patient investors, willing to selectively bet on the Web3 ecosystem, are likely to be rewarded with positive returns,” he stated. What Should Investors Focus On? According to van de Poppe, investment strategies should be based on fundamental analysis rather than chasing short-term stories or trends. Betting everything on a “hot” sector or a popular project can carry significant risks, as the crypto market often changes very quickly and unpredictably. Instead, he prioritizes protocols with sustainable development speeds, continuously expanding ecosystems, and real user engagement. Development activity, total value locked (TVL), revenue, and actual usage are the key factors determining long-term value. “I look for protocols building core technology for the entire on-chain ecosystem or those with strong growth in activity, TVL, and revenue,” he shared. The three projects van de Poppe mentioned are Arbitrum (ARB), Chainlink (LINK), and Near Protocol (NEAR). Although their token prices do not yet fully reflect their potential, these projects have maintained steady development throughout the past year. Among them, Chainlink stands out as data shows LINK has outperformed ARB and NEAR. This steady expansion also supports the launch of the LINK ETF fund, strengthening the link between solid fundamentals and participation from major institutions. Which Narratives Will Explode in 2026? From a macro perspective, Michaël van de Poppe is particularly interested in four areas: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Blockchain InfrastructureDePIN (a decentralized physical infrastructure network, including storage and robotics) He believes that legal changes, especially the CLARITY Act, will pave the way for stronger DeFi development. Additionally, the combination of AI and blockchain will become increasingly widespread, while DePIN could benefit greatly as AI is integrated more into physical systems and data networks. However, current market data still shows many challenges. The total market capitalization of DePIN tokens has decreased from $29.33 billion at the start of 2025 to around $11.97 billion. Similarly, the market cap of AI-related crypto projects has fallen sharply from $52.3 billion to $19.9 billion. This indicates a clear gap between long-term potential and short-term acceptance. Risk Management Strategies in the Current Phase Van de Poppe emphasizes the importance of discipline and risk management. He admits that the market still carries many risks of a bearish cycle, but crypto has experienced nearly four years of continuous downturn. He believes this is a period that requires patience rather than reckless speculation. His strategy is to maintain current positions while trading flexibly to be able to retreat if market conditions worsen. For retail investors, clearly defining “null” points – where to exit the market – is essential, and these points can be based on fundamentals rather than just technical analysis. Recently, Bitcoin’s price drops have mainly resulted from large liquidation events rather than sustained selling pressure. Data shows about $2.58 billion in long orders were liquidated around the $86,000 level – acting as a temporary buffer zone. If Bitcoin breaks this level, the market could face a chain of sell-offs, dragging altcoins down with it. In that scenario, exiting positions would be the safest choice. For now, altcoin investors may need to endure a period of accumulation and market revaluation. Conclusion According to Michaël van de Poppe, 2026 could mark a major turning point for the altcoin market after years of stagnation. Patient investors focusing on projects with solid fundamentals and good risk management are likely to benefit the most when a new growth cycle begins. In the current context, rather than chasing short-term waves, the most reasonable strategy remains selecting projects carefully, maintaining discipline, and preparing for a long-term growth cycle in the future.