What will Bitcoin do in 2026? The industry is divided into two camps, arguing fiercely.

One side is the bearish camp, believing that Bitcoin will undergo a deep correction, and the price may fall back to a relatively low level; the other side is the bullish camp, calling for a sprint to $150,000 by the end of the year, and even predicting that in 2027 it could reach a ceiling of $250,000.

Recently, the market has indeed given the industry a lot of confidence. BTC just successfully broke through the $90,000 barrier, with leading cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Solana also stabilizing. ETH has risen above $3,100, and SOL has surged past $130. Even more exaggerated are the altcoins like PEPE, IP, and WLFI, which have soared over 20% in the past three days. They do look quite "bullish."

But to be fair, this is often the rhythm at the beginning of the year. Every year, someone claims that the "altcoin season is returning," but is this time truly different, or will it fall short again? Given the current complex global political and economic situation, whether cryptocurrencies can replicate the "golden surge" like precious metals remains a suspense.

To determine whether this is truly the arrival of the altcoin season, we need to look at the data. From the exchange's top gainers list, although the rebound momentum is good, the distribution of the top-performing coins is not as concentrated as expected. This indicates that the current rally is still in a "partial rebound" stage and far from a full-scale launch. Overall, the market's performance is not enough to support the judgment that the "altcoin season is returning"—this more resembles a rational, staged rebound rather than a comprehensive market reversal.