The Final Altcoin Rally Before the Crash: Strategic Entry Points for 2025

The 2025 crypto cycle is unfolding under a new paradigm. Gone are the rigid rhythms of the traditional four-year halving-driven narrative. In its place, a more nuanced, institutionally driven dynamic is taking hold—one that offers both opportunity and peril for investors willing to navigate the final “easy” cycle before a potential market reset.

Michaël van de Poppe, a leading voice in crypto market analysis, has crystallized this shift. He argues that Bitcoin’s institutional adoption and the launch of spot ETFs have rendered the old cycle obsolete [2]. Instead, we are in an extended “final easy cycle,” where altcoins could see explosive gains before a correction. This phase, van de Poppe notes, is fueled by macroeconomic tailwinds—Fed rate cuts, global liquidity expansion—and a technical inflection point: Ethereum’s breakout above its 20-day exponential moving average (EMA) in late 2024, a signal historically correlated with the end of bear markets [2].

Ethereum’s technical signal is not an isolated event. It reflects broader structural changes. The altcoin market cap, currently at $1.2 trillion, is projected to surge to $3–$5 trillion by year-end as institutional capital flows into undervalued projects like Chainlink and Polygon, whose on-chain fundamentals—Total Value Secured (TVS) and whale accumulation—suggest long-term resilience [1]. Yet this optimism must be tempered. The “slow bleed” of market pain van de Poppe describes is real: volatility remains high, and drawdowns are inevitable. The key is patience and discipline in entry timing.

Meanwhile, the Bitcoin halving’s relevance is fading. The 2024 event reduced block rewards from 6.25 to 3.125 BTC, but with 95% of Bitcoin already mined, its impact on supply dynamics is diminishing [3]. Institutional adoption—driven by ETF inflows, corporate treasuries, and regulatory clarity like the CLARITY Act—now dominates Bitcoin’s price action [1]. While Bitcoin’s market dominance has risen to 72.4%, its outperformance is less dramatic than in prior cycles, with a 41.2% gain since April 2024 [4]. This suggests that altcoins, not Bitcoin, are the primary beneficiaries of the current cycle.

Strategic entry points require a data-driven approach. Investors should focus on projects with strong TVS, growing developer activity, and whale accumulation, while avoiding speculative tokens lacking utility. Van de Poppe warns that impatience often leads to selling at market bottoms—a trap to avoid [1]. For instance, Ethereum’s breakout above the 20-day EMA in September 2019 preceded a 300% rally; history may repeat itself in 2025 [2].

Yet risks loom. The “final easy cycle” is just that—easy until it isn’t. A sharp reversal could follow the $3–$5 trillion altcoin peak, especially if macroeconomic conditions sour or regulatory headwinds emerge. Diversification and risk management are non-negotiable.

In conclusion, 2025 presents a unique window for capitalizing on altcoins. The fading relevance of Bitcoin halvings and the rise of institutional-grade infrastructure create a fertile ground for high-conviction plays. But success demands a balance of optimism and caution—a recognition that this is the last “easy” cycle before the next inevitable correction.

**Source:[1] Altcoin Rebound Expected Following Panic Selling [https://www.ainvest.com/news/altcoin-rebound-expected-panic-selling-2509/][2] Van de Poppe Predicts Ballistic Altcoin Run After Ethereum ATH [https://www.banklesstimes.com/articles/2025/08/23/van-de-poppe-predicts-ballistic-altcoin-run-after-ethereum-ath/][3] Is The Bitcoin Halving Cycle Still Relevant? [https://www.onesafe.io/blog/is-the-bitcoin-halving-cycle-still-relevant-insights-into-market-dynamics][4] Bitcoin Cycles, Entering 2025 [https://www.ark-invest.com/articles/analyst-research/bitcoin-cycles-entering-2025]