The altcoin season index tells you one thing: how many of the biggest altcoins have beaten Bitcoin over a set window. It doesn’t tell you which coin to buy, and it doesn’t tell you what happens next. Used the right way, it’s a quick read on market breadth. Used the wrong way, it’s a late signal that makes you chase moves that already happened.
This guide shows today’s reading from the two sites most people check, CoinMarketCap and BlockchainCenter, why their numbers rarely match, how to read the score, and the false signals that trip people up.
Quick answer (checked November 10, 2026): No, it isn’t altcoin season. BlockchainCenter’s 90-day altcoin season index reads 33 out of 100 and CoinMarketCap’s reads 41. Both sit in the neutral zone, well below the 75 line that marks altcoin season.
Table of Contents
Altcoin season index today
Here’s where the two most-checked versions of the altcoin season index stood when we refreshed this guide on November 10, 2026.
| Reading | BlockchainCenter | CoinMarketCap |
|---|---|---|
| Main (90-day) score | 33 / 100 | 41 / 100 |
| Status | Not altcoin season | Neutral (26 to 74) |
| Other windows | 30-day: 22, 365-day: 39 | Last week: 47, last month: 63 |
| Coin group | Top 50 | Top 100 |
A few things stand out. CoinMarketCap’s score has slid from 63 a month ago (October 10) to 41 today, so breadth has been fading, not building. Its 12-month range runs from a low of 14 (December 19, 2025) to a high of 64 (September 27, 2026), which means it didn’t touch the 75 line in the past year. BlockchainCenter counts 410 days since its last altcoin season, and its last flip was on September 2, 2026, when the reading moved from Bitcoin season to neutral.
Bitcoin dominance was about 59.7% on CoinGecko and 60.4% on CoinMarketCap the same day. That backs up the read: Bitcoin still holds a large share of the market, and most big altcoins haven’t outrun it.
These numbers change every day. For the current reading, check the live BlockchainCenter altcoin season index, the live CMC altcoin season index and the live Bitcoin dominance chart.
What is the altcoin season index?
The altcoin season index is a market breadth tool. It takes a fixed group of large altcoins and checks how many of them beat Bitcoin’s price performance over a rolling window, usually 90 days. The more coins that beat Bitcoin, the higher the score.
Most versions use a 0 to 100 scale. A score of 55 means about 55% of the tested coins beat Bitcoin over the window. It doesn’t mean those coins gained 55%, and it doesn’t mean they made money in dollar terms. A coin can fall 20% and still “beat” Bitcoin if Bitcoin fell 30%.
That’s the key idea to hold onto. The index measures relative performance across many coins. It’s a breadth reading, not a price target.
CMC vs BlockchainCenter: why the scores differ
There’s no single official altcoin season index. The two best-known versions follow the same basic rule but test different coin groups, so they almost never print the same number. Today’s gap (33 vs 41) is normal.
BlockchainCenter altcoin season index
- Coin group: the top 50 coins, with stablecoins like Tether and DAI and asset-backed tokens like WBTC and stETH removed.
- Main window: 90 days, with 30-day and 365-day views as well.
- Altcoin season line: 75% of the group beat Bitcoin.
- Extras: a flip calendar and season history, such as days since the last altcoin season.
CMC altcoin season index
- Coin group: the top 100 coins on CoinMarketCap, ranked daily, with stablecoins and wrapped tokens removed. Ethereum counts as an altcoin.
- Main window: 90 days, refreshed daily.
- Altcoin season line: 75 or higher. A score of 25 or lower is Bitcoin season.
- Extras: yesterday, last week, last month and yearly high and low values.
Why the gap? A top-100 group pulls in more mid-cap coins than a top-50 group, and those coins can behave very differently from the largest names. Rank changes matter too. When a coin drops out of the group and a new one enters, the score can move even if prices barely changed.
The practical rule: pick one provider and compare it with itself over time. Don’t mix the CMC and BlockchainCenter numbers in one trend line, and don’t treat a gap between them as a signal.
How to read the altcoin season index
Both main versions use similar bands:
- 75 to 100, altcoin season: broad altcoin strength. Most large altcoins have outperformed Bitcoin over the window.
- 26 to 74, neutral: mixed leadership. Some sectors or a handful of coins may lead while most lag.
- 0 to 25, Bitcoin season: Bitcoin has outperformed most of the group.
Read the direction as well as the level. A score of 41 that’s rising from 20 tells a different story than a score of 41 that’s falling from 63. Right now the CMC reading is the second kind.
Remember that the bands describe what already happened. A 90-day index needs weeks of outperformance before it crosses 75, so by the time it flips, a lot of the move may be over.
The index shows breadth. It doesn’t pick coins. When you’re ready to look past the score, open Signals in the Token Metrics app. It shows fresh signals from traders with strong records, and recently settled results stay on the page so you can check how they did.
Altcoin season index vs Bitcoin dominance
People often check these two together, but they answer different questions.
- Bitcoin dominance is Bitcoin’s market value divided by the total crypto market value. It tells you how big Bitcoin is relative to everything else.
- The altcoin season index counts how many tracked altcoins beat Bitcoin’s price move. It tells you how wide altcoin strength is.
Falling dominance can support an altcoin rotation, but it can also come from stablecoin growth or from one or two large coins rallying alone. A rising altcoin season index alongside falling dominance is a stronger breadth signal than either one on its own. On November 10, 2026, neither was pointing to altcoin season: dominance was near 60% and both index readings were neutral.
For more context on how cycles have played out, see our guide on why altcoin season in 2026 looks different and the signals to watch for the next crypto bull run.
A safer way to use the index
- Check the method. Know which coin group, window and exclusions your provider uses before you read the number.
- Check the trend. A score rising over several weeks matters more than one daily jump.
- Check Bitcoin dominance. Look for a matching drop in Bitcoin’s share before you call a rotation.
- Check liquidity. Thin markets can show big percentage gains that are hard to actually trade.
- Check each token. Look at supply, unlocks, real use, security history and where it trades.
- Set risk limits first. Decide your position size and exit rule before you enter, not after.
The index works best as a filter on your own process. Pair it with a couple of tools from our guide to crypto trading indicators, and use our altcoin research guide before you put money into any single coin.
Common false signals
- Small sample bias: a top-50 group can look strong while the wider market stays weak.
- Survivor bias: ranked lists drop coins that crash, so the group that’s left can look healthier than the market really is.
- Late confirmation: a 90-day window reacts after much of a move has already happened.
- Relative, not absolute, gains: many coins can beat Bitcoin while still losing value in dollar terms.
- One-sector rallies: a hot sector can lift the score for a few weeks without a broad altcoin season behind it.
- Low liquidity: a big price jump on a thin coin may not hold up to real orders.
The index also can’t tell you anything about a token’s value, code safety, custody or legal risk. Crypto assets are volatile and can lose most or all of their value. The Investor.gov crypto asset alert is a good plain-language read on the risks.
Altcoin season index FAQ
Is it altcoin season right now?
Not as of November 10, 2026. BlockchainCenter’s altcoin season index was 33 and CoinMarketCap’s was 41, both in the neutral zone and well below 75. Check the live pages linked above for today’s number.
What altcoin season index score means altseason?
Both CMC and BlockchainCenter use 75 as the altcoin season line, meaning at least 75% of the tracked coins beat Bitcoin over 90 days. A score of 25 or lower is Bitcoin season.
Why do CMC and BlockchainCenter show different numbers?
They test different coin groups. CMC uses the top 100 coins and BlockchainCenter uses the top 50, each with its own exclusions, so their scores rarely match. Compare each one with its own history.
Is the altcoin season index a buy signal?
No. It’s a backward-looking breadth measure. It doesn’t test any token’s quality, liquidity or risk, and it often confirms a move late.
How is Bitcoin dominance different?
Bitcoin dominance measures Bitcoin’s share of total crypto market value. The altcoin season index counts how many large altcoins beat Bitcoin’s price performance.
Watch breadth, then do the token work. The altcoin season index tells you how wide the market’s move is. Signals shows fresh signals from traders with strong records, with settled results you can check, so your research starts from real activity instead of a single score.
Sources
- BlockchainCenter Altcoin Season Index (readings checked November 10, 2026)
- CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season Index and methodology (readings checked November 10, 2026)
- CoinGecko Bitcoin dominance chart
- Investor.gov crypto asset risk alert
Disclosure: This guide is for education. It isn’t investment, legal or tax advice. Token Metrics may earn revenue when readers buy its products.
