Cryptocurrency Company Wintermute Makes Pessimistic Statements Regarding Expected Altcoin Growth! Here are the Details

cryptonews.ruPubblicato 2026-07-31Pubblicato ultima volta 2026-07-31

Introduzione

Crypto market maker Wintermute has made a pessimistic assessment regarding the anticipated altcoin season, suggesting that any upcoming rally may benefit only a limited number of projects. The company reports a record 72% of its spot OTC trading volume in H1 2026 came from institutional clients, whose capital is becoming more selective and concentrated. Data shows institutional traders act quickly on price spikes, while retail interest lasts longer. This selective behavior indicates the classic altcoin season, where hundreds of tokens rise simultaneously, may be changing. Wintermute believes only projects with strong use cases, high liquidity, and institutional appeal will stand out. Supporting this view, CryptoQuant data shows altcoin trading volume against Bitcoin is near its lowest since 2021, with the top 10 altcoins (excluding stablecoins) holding about 80.5% of the total altcoin market cap. Similarly, Kaiko reports that the top 10 altcoins now account for 63% of total altcoin trading volume, up from ~50% a few months ago, indicating capital concentration. Analysts suggest that in the current cautious institutional climate, projects with advanced technology, liquidity, and robust ecosystems will attract disproportionate attention. Therefore, any potential new altcoin season may be less broad than past bull markets, with gains concentrated in a narrower set of promising tokens.

There is a suggestion that the long-awaited new altcoin season in the cryptocurrency market, unlike past cycles, may benefit only a limited number of projects.

Wintermute, one of the world's leading cryptocurrency market makers, stated in its latest assessment that institutional investor behavior is beginning to change, and capital is increasingly concentrating in a smaller number of tokens.

Wintermute announced that in the first half of 2026, institutional clients accounted for 72% of the company's over-the-counter (OTC) spot trading volume. This is the highest figure in the company's history.

According to data, institutional investor trading activity decreased significantly on average throughout the day following a sharp price surge, while interest from individual investors persisted for about three days. This indicates that institutional capital is acting more selectively and concentrating on specific tokens.

In Wintermute's view, this trend suggests that the classic 'altcoin season,' where hundreds of altcoins in the past simultaneously saw price increases, may change. The company believes that in the new cycle, only projects with compelling use cases, high liquidity, and interest from institutional investors will stand out.

Other data supporting the overall market picture also point to a similar pattern. The analytics platform CryptoQuant reported that the trading volume of altcoin pairs against Bitcoin is approaching the lowest level since 2021. According to the same data, the top 10 altcoins by market capitalization, excluding stablecoins, account for approximately 80.5% of the total altcoin market capitalization when Bitcoin and stablecoins are excluded.

Similarly, market data analysis firm Kaiko noted that trading volumes are increasingly concentrated in a smaller number of projects. According to Kaiko, the top 10 altcoins account for 63% of total altcoin trading volume, compared to about 50% just a few months ago. This shift indicates that investor capital is increasingly flowing into a narrower group of projects.

Analysts note that in current conditions, where institutional investors are acting more cautiously, projects with advanced technologies, high liquidity, and a robust ecosystem may attract more attention compared to other altcoins. Therefore, it is suggested that a potential new altcoin growth season may not be as extensive as previous bull markets, and profits may be concentrated in a limited number of promising projects.

*This is not investment advice.

end-content

Domande pertinenti

QAccording to Wintermute, what is the main factor potentially changing the traditional 'altcoin season'?

AWintermute suggests that changing behavior from institutional investors, who are becoming more selective and concentrating capital into a smaller number of tokens, is a key factor that may change the classic 'altcoin season'.

QWhat percentage of Wintermute's OTC spot trading volume came from institutional clients in H1 2026, and why is this significant?

AIn H1 2026, institutional clients accounted for 72% of Wintermute's OTC spot trading volume, the highest in the company's history. This is significant as it indicates a strong and growing institutional presence, which tends to be more selective than retail investors.

QWhat trend does the data from Kaiko show regarding trading volume concentration in altcoins?

AKaiko's data shows that trading volume is increasingly concentrated in fewer projects. The top 10 altcoins now account for 63% of total altcoin trading volume, compared to about 50% just a few months ago.

QWhat characteristics does Wintermute believe will make altcoin projects stand out in the new cycle?

AWintermute believes that in the new cycle, only projects with compelling use cases, high liquidity, and interest from institutional investors will stand out and potentially benefit.

QWhat is the implied overall outlook for the upcoming altcoin season compared to past cycles, based on the article's analysis?

AThe implied outlook is more cautious and selective. The upcoming altcoin season is not expected to be as broad as previous bull markets, with profits likely to be concentrated in a limited number of high-quality, institutionally-backed projects rather than spread across hundreds of altcoins.

Letture associate

Attention, Bitcoin Users! Today's Hack May Be Larger Than You Think. Here's What to Do

Bitcoin users are urged to take immediate action following the disclosure of a critical security vulnerability. Hardware wallet manufacturer Coinkite has revealed a flaw in the seed phrase generation process for certain Coldcard Mk3 devices running firmware versions 4.0.1 through 5.0.3. All bitcoin addresses created from seed phrases generated on these potentially affected devices are now considered at risk. This warning coincides with an ongoing investigation into a major hack that drained approximately 1,082.65 BTC (worth roughly $70.2 million at the time) from 1,196 single-signature wallets in just 41 minutes on July 30. Security analysts believe the coordinated thefts, which used identical transaction fees and left no change, were executed by an automated tool scanning for compromised private keys. Notably, this attack occurred about 30 hours before Coinkite's public disclosure of the Coldcard vulnerability, raising concerns of a possible connection. Experts strongly recommend that impacted Coldcard Mk3 users do not consider their old seed phrase safe. The advised course of action is to generate a completely new, secure seed phrase on a trusted, modern hardware wallet and then transfer all funds to addresses derived from this new seed. Simply moving the old, potentially compromised seed to a new device is not sufficient.

cryptonews.ru12 min fa

Attention, Bitcoin Users! Today's Hack May Be Larger Than You Think. Here's What to Do

cryptonews.ru12 min fa

Bitcoin in August: Experts Expect Range Testing, Not a Quick Reversal

Experts anticipate Bitcoin will remain under pressure in August, lacking momentum for a sustained rally after a partial July recovery. The price, trading around $63.5k, is seen stuck in a $60-65k range. Analysts cite a challenging macro environment of high U.S. rates, persistent inflation, and a strong dollar as key headwinds, alongside record ETF outflows. Historically, August is a weak month for crypto. Experts outline three main scenarios: a base case of sideways movement between $58-68k (50% probability), a bearish drop to $50-55k (30%), or a bullish push toward $71-75k (20%). Key levels to watch are support at $60-61k and resistance at $67k. While some see current prices as attractive for long-term accumulation, most warn of potential short-term downside, with a retest of $60k or even a fall toward $53k possible. A decisive market turnaround is not expected before Q4, making August a month for testing key levels rather than a major breakout.

cryptonews.ru32 min fa

Bitcoin in August: Experts Expect Range Testing, Not a Quick Reversal

cryptonews.ru32 min fa

Coldcard Hardware Wallet Hacked: 594 Bitcoin Withdrawn in 25 Minutes

The Coldcard hardware wallet has been compromised, with hackers stealing approximately 594.5 Bitcoin (~$40 million) from 500 addresses in just 25 minutes. The root cause was a critical software bug, undetected for five years, which disabled the device's secure chip for generating true random numbers. This led to the creation of private keys based on predictable data like the processor's serial number, drastically reducing cryptographic security. The attackers exploited this offline by brute-forcing possible seed phrases, finding active addresses on the public ledger, and signing transactions. Initially, Coinkite (Coldcard's maker) claimed only older models were at risk but later admitted all devices running the compromised firmware were vulnerable. CEO Rodolphe Novak (NVK) apologized but ruled out financial compensation for affected users. To secure funds, owners must urgently update their firmware to specific safe versions, generate a completely new seed phrase on the updated device, and transfer all assets to new addresses created with that new seed. While a BIP-39 passphrase can help, it does not replace this migration process. Other Coinkite products like TAPSIGNER were not affected. This incident underscores that even specialized hardware requires rigorous, independent code audits, especially for cryptographic functions. It parallels past failures, like a 2006 OpenSSL bug in Debian, and raises questions about whether automated code analysis can ever fully replace human scrutiny in critical security areas.

cryptonews.ru32 min fa

Coldcard Hardware Wallet Hacked: 594 Bitcoin Withdrawn in 25 Minutes

cryptonews.ru32 min fa

Tether (USDT) Publishes Anticipated Financial Results for the Second Quarter! Here's Its Current Status and Assets

Tether, the world's largest stablecoin issuer, has published its Q2 2026 financial results. According to an independent audit by BDO, the company reported a net operating profit of approximately $1.5 billion and an excess of assets over liabilities totaling $4.11 billion. As of June 30, 2026, the circulating supply of USDT was roughly $184.6 billion, marking an increase of about $446 million from the prior quarter. Tether now holds over 60% of the global stablecoin market share. The $1.5 billion profit was primarily generated from U.S. Treasury bills and repurchase agreements. Total assets stood at approximately $187.75 billion against liabilities of $183.64 billion, with $183.62 billion of liabilities tied to issued digital tokens. Key actions during the quarter included a reduction of secured loans by $2.38 billion (down 15%) and an addition of 14 tons to its physical gold holdings, bringing the total to over 146 tons. CEO Paolo Ardoino reaffirmed that USDT remains fully backed by reserves despite market volatility. He also noted that the company is undergoing a comprehensive independent audit with one of the "Big Four" accounting firms.

cryptonews.ru1 h fa

Tether (USDT) Publishes Anticipated Financial Results for the Second Quarter! Here's Its Current Status and Assets

cryptonews.ru1 h fa

Circle Reaches Major Regulatory Milestone, Receives Trust Charter from New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS)

Circle, a financial services and stablecoin company, announced it reached a key regulatory milestone by receiving a Limited Purpose Trust Charter from the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS). This charter allows Circle to expand its operations in New York to include asset custody services, issuance of NYDFS-approved stablecoins, and management of the reserves backing them. The approval positions Circle's USDC stablecoin within a regulated framework and follows the company's earlier receipt of a national trust bank charter from the U.S. OCC. CEO Jeremy Allaire stated this achievement reflects over a decade of compliance commitment and aligns with NYDFS's high standards, comparable to those for full commercial banks, as digital dollars become central to the global financial system.

cryptonews.ru1 h fa

Circle Reaches Major Regulatory Milestone, Receives Trust Charter from New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS)

cryptonews.ru1 h fa

Trading

Spot