Start here · 5 min read · Live · basket based

What is altcoin season?

One-minute answer: Altcoin season means many major coins other than Bitcoin are outperforming Bitcoin over the measured window. It is a breadth test across a basket, not a claim that every altcoin is rising.

What it actually means

The index compares each coin's return with Bitcoin's return over the same period, then counts how many altcoins did better. A high score means outperformance is broad rather than limited to one or two coins.

This is different from asking whether altcoins are up in dollars. If Bitcoin falls 20% and an altcoin falls 10%, that altcoin outperformed Bitcoin even though its holders still lost money.

What to look for

High score — A large share of the tracked altcoin basket beat Bitcoin over the stated window.
Low score — Bitcoin beat most of the tracked altcoins over that window.
Score rising — Outperformance is spreading across more altcoins.
Check the period — A one-week rotation can disagree with a 90-day trend. The period belongs with the score.

Worked example

A score of 78 over 90 days means 78% of the eligible tracked altcoins outperformed Bitcoin during those 90 days. It does not mean they rose 78%, and it does not describe coins outside the basket.

What this cannot tell you

The score depends on which coins qualify for the basket and whether enough price history exists.
Outperforming Bitcoin can still mean losing money in US dollars.
The available SafuTrading history begins when this basket recording started; it is not a reconstructed history back to 2009.

Data source

SafuTrading calculation from the eligible tracked-coin basket and Bitcoin prices over the displayed comparison window.

Open Altcoin Deluxe — Current season score, the measured period, and the tracked winners and losers.