Attention is turning to major tokens as bitcoin (BTC) set fresh highs earlier this week, with some pointing out that institutional demand and a clear regulatory environment pave the way for strong moves among the top coins.
Bitcoin was hovering just under $111,000 during the Asian morning hours on Friday, seeing a slight pullback on profit-taking as is expected after upward moves. Cardano’s ADA, dogecoin (DOGE) and Solana’s SOL added as much as 4%, while ether (ETH), XRP, and BNB Chain’s BNB rose less than 1.5%.
The broad-based CoinDesk 20 (CD20), a liquid index tracking the largest tokens by market cap, rose 1.2% in the past 24 hours.
Bitget Research’s Chief Analyst Ryan Lee told CoinDesk in a Telegram message that a potential dip in bitcoin dominance could kick off a broader alt season, with high-profile names like XRP and Solana in prime position to benefit.
Lee pointed to XRP’s improving regulatory clarity and recent technical breakout patterns as reasons traders are eyeing a move toward $3–$8 in the medium term.
XRP recently formed a golden cross against BTC on the weekly chart — a historically bullish signal suggesting a long-term trend reversal may be underway. The ratio has been locked in a sideways channel since late 2020, but that may now be breaking after last month’s SEC decision not to pursue further appeals against Ripple.
SOL could climb toward $220–$300 on ETF speculation, while ADA shows potential for a breakout between $1 and $3, Lee added.
Singapore-based QCP Capital said in a Thursday broadcast that the latest BTC move confirmed a robust trend supported by improved structural fundamentals and relatively low volatility.
"This rally feels more structurally sound than the last with less frothy momentum-chasing and stronger fundamental underpinnings,” the firm said, adding that the brief dip following BTC’s initial record high break triggered put-side profit-taking, but buyers were “quick to reload on the upside.”
Still, broader macro risks remain in play. Renewed tariff concerns, rising U.S. yields, and a stronger dollar could all inject volatility into the system, especially for altcoins, QCP said. Traders are urged to stay selective, focusing on assets with strong fundamentals and clear regulatory narratives.
Meanwhile, FxPro’s Alex Kuptsikevich shared in an email that bitcoin’s sentiment index is hovering just below “extreme greed” as of Friday, a sign that the rally may still have room to run in the coming days.
