The Bitcoin halving in April 2024 has triggered a new bullish cycle. We’ll explore how events surrounding BTC are impacting altcoins and which coins could see growth in 2025-2026: Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, BNB, Chainlink, Toncoin, Sui, Kaspa, Cosmos ATOM, Dogecoin, and others. We’ll also discuss trends, staking, and reliable wallets.
Introduction: What does the halving do to the cryptocurrency market? 📉➡️📈
The BTC halving is a programmed reduction in the miner’s reward for finding a block. Every 210,000 blocks, the network halves the reward, making Bitcoin more scarce. Analysts note that after each halving, the BTC price enters a new bullish cycle: the rise of the flagship coin “accelerates” the entire market, and altcoins follow suit. According to the Crypto Mining Blog , BTC’s movement after a reward halving goes through four phases: a pre-halving rally, a correction, an accumulation period, and a parabolic rise. It is during this final phase that capital actively flows into alternative assets, creating the “alt season”—a period when lesser-known coins outperform Bitcoin.
As the price of BTC rises, investors are looking for more affordable options: altcoins are gaining popularity, and meme coins are at the forefront of interest. After taking profits in BTC, some investors are investing in tech projects; innovation, scalability, and a strong team are key factors determining the success of alternative coins.
Below is an overview of cryptocurrencies that could show strong momentum in the new cycle. The text includes opinions from reputable sources, and at the end are useful links to articles from , , , and .
Ethereum – the king of smart contracts 🟣
Ethereum remains the leading blockchain for decentralized applications. The project has become a platform for financial services, games, and NFTs, and major trading platforms offer ETH listings without significant price impact thanks to its high liquidity. The transition to Proof-of-Stake (“The Merge”) and the implementation of EIP-1559 made coin issuance deflationary, and the expected Pectra update in spring 2025 aims to increase scalability and change staking rules. ETH is backed by a large team led by Vitalik Buterin, and the launch of spot ETFs in 2024 led to record inflows—funds recorded net inflows for 17 consecutive days, with total holdings exceeding 3.5 million ETH. These factors make Ethereum one of the most promising post-halving assets.
Solana – Fast Transactions and Meme Mania 🌊
Solana is positioned as a high-speed platform for DeFi and NFTs. The network processes tens of thousands of transactions per second and offers low fees, making it a serious competitor to Ethereum. Solana’s popularity surged in 2024 on the wave of meme coins and the Jupiter app; major asset managers (VanEck, Grayscale, 21Shares) have applied to launch spot ETFs on Solana, and the community is discussing a vote on increasing rewards and reducing inflation. A fast network, user-friendly interface, and a growing meme economy make Solana an attractive asset for investors seeking an alternative to Bitcoin after the halving.
Avalanche – Subnets and Scalability 🏔️
Avalanche is a scalable platform for creating custom blockchains (subnets). Avalanche is cited in ratings as a highly liquid, large-cap player offering more flexibility than many Layer 2 solutions. A unique fee-burning model reduces the circulating supply of Avalanche. Development is led by Cornell University professor Emin Gün Sirer, and the community actively participates in voting and projects. In 2025, the Avalanche Foundation launched the $40 million Retro9000 grant program, and the upcoming Avalanche 9000 upgrade aims to reduce the cost of launching new subnets by 99.9%. These initiatives are boosting investor confidence.
Binance Coin (BNB) – Exchange Ecosystem 🟡
BNB is the largest “exchange coin.” It is used to pay fees on Binance, participate in Launchpad, and pay for goods. BNB’s market capitalization more than doubled in 2024; the token is highly liquid and widely traded on other exchanges. Binance regularly conducts coin burns and plans to destroy half of the total supply, creating a shortage. However, experts warn of high centralization: BNB’s prospects depend on the exchange’s reputation and regulatory risks. Despite legal challenges, the quarterly “burn” program and the growth of Binance’s services support demand for the token.
Chainlink – an oracle for DeFi 🔗
Chainlink provides decentralized oracles for smart contracts. LINK remains the foundation of Web3 infrastructure, connecting blockchains with external data, payments, and real-world providers. Chainlink’s popularity is growing thanks to the Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), which supports cross-chain transfers and stablecoin reserve verification. The token reached nearly $30 in late 2024 but subsequently adjusted; however, further oracle adoption and collaboration with traditional finance offer potential for growth.
Toncoin – Telegram blockchain 💬
Toncoin is the native coin of The Open Network , developed by Telegram and continued to be developed by the community. Blockpit highlights TON due to its integration with the messenger: Telegram has mandated that all mini-apps use TON, giving the project potential access to an audience of over 800 million users. The ability to scale and pay fees through TON make it one of the most promising projects with real-world applications.
Sui – new layer 1 based on Move 🧠
Sui Network is a high-performance blockchain developed by Mysten Labs. The network utilizes parallel transaction processing and the Move programming language, ensuring high speeds and low fees. In 2024, the SUI token surged by over 500%, reaching new highs; network activity and DeFi volumes are rapidly increasing, and the team has hinted at the possibility of launching an ETF. Thanks to its scalable architecture and active development, Sui is seen as a serious competitor to Ethereum and Solana in the upcoming cycle.
Dogecoin and Bonk meme coins 🐕
During the alt-season, investors’ attention often shifts to meme coins. Dogecoin is the most popular meme coin, with a market capitalization exceeding $23 billion and widespread use in payments and retail. In second place is Bonk , a Solana network token that has gained popularity thanks to the DeFi ecosystem, where it is used for payments on decentralized platforms. Experts believe that these “cultural” assets could be among the first to benefit from the bull market.
PoW Altcoins: Kaspa, Ergo, and Ethereum Classic ⛏️
Ethereum’s transition to Proof-of-Stake has left miners with no work for powerful GPUs. Crypto Mining Blog predicts that home miners will switch to ASIC-resistant PoW coins: the most profitable algorithms are Kaspa (kHeavyHash) and Ergo (Autolykos), as well as Ethereum Classic. According to WhatToMine, an RTX 4090 GPU brings in approximately $2.9–3.1 per day when mining Kaspa and approximately $1.7 when mining Ergo. This makes KAS and ERGO attractive assets for speculation after the halving.
The Kaspa PoW project itself uses a unique DAG blockchain structure: the GHOSTDAG/PHANTOM protocol allows for the formation of multiple parallel branches and the processing of blocks every second, ensuring incredible speed and scalability. The kHeavyHash algorithm is energy-efficient, and the project is fully decentralized—the launch took place without presales or premines. Experts and note that with the right equipment and affordable electricity, Kaspa mining can recoup its investment in 8-12 months, though one should take into account a ~5.94% monthly reward decline and hashrate growth.
Cosmos ATOM – the Internet of Blockchains 🌐
Cosmos is known as the “Internet of Blockchains” thanks to its Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) technology, which allows independent chains to exchange assets and data. At the center of the ecosystem is the Cosmos Hub, a network governed by the ATOM token; Binance Chain, Crypto.org, Terra, Juno, and other networks operate through this hub. An article on explains that the ATOM token is responsible for network security, voting, and fees. Tendermint (Core/CometBFT) ensures fast and secure consensus, IBC implements reliable communication between chains, and the Cosmos SDK simplifies the creation of custom blockchains. Thanks to its modular architecture, Binance Chain, Crypto.org, Cronos, and other networks have already launched on Cosmos. ATOM can be staked, earning 15-20% per annum, and used for governance participation. This infrastructure is attractive to developers and investors; With growing interest in internetworking protocols, ATOM may show above-market performance.
Staking and wallet selection 🔒
The growth of Proof-of-Stake projects makes staking a popular way to earn money. According to , staking allows for passive income, network security, and governance participation. Using a suitable wallet, you can delegate coins to validators. Staking is available for Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot, Cosmos, Cardano, Tezos, BNB Chain, and other coins. Hardware wallets such as Ledger and Trezor, which support ETH, DOT, ATOM, ADA, and other assets, are suitable for secure storage. Mobile solutions include Trust Wallet (BNB, SOL, ATOM, KAVA, ALGO), Exodus (ADA, SOL, ATOM), and Atomic Wallet. Those who prefer decentralized interfaces will appreciate MetaMask with Lido and Rocket Pool for ETH staking, or Keplr for ATOM. When choosing a wallet, experts advise paying attention to the level of security, supported coins, validator transparency, and fee size.
Conclusion: The alt-season depends on innovation 🧠
BTC halvings traditionally act as a catalyst for the entire crypto market, but altcoin growth depends on fundamental factors. Our research reminds us that not all coins will perform equally: success is determined by utility, technology, and active development. Investors who have profited from Bitcoin do switch to alternative assets, but they should choose projects with real utility—smart contract platforms (Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, Sui), infrastructure solutions (Chainlink, Cosmos), promising PoW networks (Kaspa, Ergo), and even meme coins with an active community. Analysts and crypto-mining.blog note that rising hashrate and mining difficulty contribute to a long-term bullish trend, but miners switch to new coins after each halving. Use only reliable wallets, diversify your portfolio, and be mindful of the risks. The alt season is a wonderful opportunity, but it only comes to those who are ready.
Useful links to sources
- – Bitcoin Difficulty Rise: Market Reaction and Prospects – Network Difficulty Analysis
- Crypto-Mining Blog – What awaits Bitcoin after the 2024 halving? – a description of the market phases after the halving.
- – Kaspa (KAS): Mining Prospects and Profitability – A review of the PoW altcoin Kaspa and a mining payback calculation.
- – Wallets for staking and how to earn passive income from crypto – tips on staking and choosing wallets.
Read more:
A third of Bitcoin Cash coins have not moved since the creation of the cryptocurrency 
Mining at low cost BTC. Will bitcoin halving finish them at all? 
Where will BTC meet halving? Will Bitcoin cost $0? 
EOS Ecosystem wallet users lose $ 52 million coins 
The first half of the reward for miners passed in Bitcoin Cash 
Outflow of Bitcoin BTC with crypto exchanges increases 
At the last recount, the Bitcoin mining difficulty increased by 8.45% 
