Is altcoin season at risk? Analyst flags Ethereum’s underperformance

• Ethereum’s underperformance might delay the much-awaited altcoin season. 
• Bitcoin’s rising dominance might derail altcoin efficiency post-Fed fee cuts. 

Ethereum’s [ETH] muted worth motion and the lackluster efficiency of US spot ETH ETFs might delay the much-awaited altcoin season. In truth, on thirtieth August, the US spot ETH ETFs document zero flows throughout the board.

One analyst referred to the zero flows as ‘unhappy’ and underscored an absence of curiosity. 

‘I simply realised that yesterday’s $ETH stream was a literal zero. For some purpose, that’s much more unhappy than a damaging stream. Nobody on this planet cares about ETH anymore lmao.’ 

Is ETH underperformance a threat to Alt Season?

Total, the merchandise have seen cumulative outflows since inception, value $477 million per Farside Traders data.

In response to Quinn Thompson, founding father of crypto hedge fund Lekker Capital, the weak efficiency was ‘detrimental’ to the altcoin universe. 

“The ETH ETFs’ lacklustre efficiency is a detrimental signal to the remainder of the altcoin universe…Bitcoin dominance will rise…ETHBTC is the alt barometer.’ 

For context, the ETHBTC ratio tracks ETH’s worth relative to BTC. The ratio has been in a downtrend for over two years and just lately hit a yearly low of 0.040.

In brief, ETH’s underperformance relative to BTC reached a document low in 2024, primarily pushed by ETF purchaser curiosity. 

Supply: ETH/BTC, TradingView

Thompson projected that ETHBTC would hit 0.033 by the tip of 2024. Put in a different way; the exec anticipated ETH underperformance to proceed till December earlier than ETF patrons present curiosity within the altcoin. 

Though some altcoin watchers have been timing a breakout for the section utilizing Solana’s [SOL] efficiency, the ETHBTC ratio stays a big take a look at for the sector’s well being per Thompson. 

On the time of writing, the Altcoin Season Index reading was at 18, suggesting that it was nonetheless a agency BTC season. 

Supply: Blockchain Middle

That mentioned, some market watchers have been speculating that the upcoming and certain Fed fee minimize might increase the altcoin section. In response to crypto analyst Benjamin Cowen, the outlook was unsure as the same state of affairs in 2019 led to altcoin capitulation. 

‘#ALT / #BTC pairs month-to-month open in July 2019 when the Fed minimize charges for the primary time was 0.38. They capitulated to 0.29 that month. The month-to-month open in September 2024 for ALT/BTC pairs is 0.38. The Fed will minimize this month. Perhaps, simply perhaps, this time will not be completely different.’

Supply: X/Cowen

On the time of writing, ETH traded at $2.4k, down almost 10% up to now week after dropping from $2.7k.