Altcoin deposits to cryptocurrency exchanges have risen to their highest level since October 2025, a sharp increase that CryptoQuant says could indicate some holders are preparing to sell. The rise comes as smaller cryptocurrencies have recently gained ground relative to Bitcoin and as Bitcoin’s share of the total crypto market remains below 60%.
Exchange deposits reach one-year high
CryptoQuant’s latest weekly analysis found that altcoin deposit transactions reached 78,000 over the seven days ending Sept. 28. That was up approximately 160% from the 29,800 transactions recorded for the seven-day period ending Sept. 14.
The number of unique addresses sending altcoins to exchanges also climbed sharply. It increased from about 17,600 on Sept. 14 to roughly 51,600 on Sept. 28, nearly tripling over the two-week period. CryptoQuant said both the transaction total and the address count were at their highest levels since October 2025, describing the increase as broad-based.
According to Cointelegraph, CryptoQuant views the movement of coins to exchanges as a possible sign of selling intent. Exchange deposits do not guarantee that assets will be sold, but they put tokens in venues where holders can trade them more readily.
Bitcoin dominance remains below 60%
The increase in exchange deposits follows indicators that altcoins have recently outperformed Bitcoin. Glassnode’s Altcoin Cycle Signal, which uses price data from the 250 largest altcoins by market capitalization while excluding stablecoins, favored altcoins over Bitcoin last week.
Bitcoin’s share of the overall cryptocurrency market capitalization was below 60%. TradingView data showed that Bitcoin dominance had remained between 58% and 60.4% since May 27. On Sept. 27, crypto assets outside the 10 largest by market capitalization represented 9% of the total market, their highest share since February.
Bitcoin itself recently pulled back after briefly moving above $87,000, its first move past that level since January. Cointelegraph reported that changes in exchange order-book liquidity and the supply held by long-term investors had been identified as possible constraints on further short-term gains. Those factors provide context for the wider shift in market attention toward smaller tokens.
Moneyiar market picture
Moneyiar market data at the stated times on Oct. 1, 2026, showed mixed performance among selected altcoins:
- Litecoin (LTC): $67.3192020463, up 0.55% over 24 hours and down 0.66% over seven days, as of 09:19 +03:30.
- Quant (QNT): $292.15768266, up 2.79% over 24 hours and 311.48% over seven days, as of 09:18 +03:30.
- Celestia (TIA): $0.4449439776, down 0.45% over 24 hours and 2.31% over seven days, as of 09:18 +03:30.
- Altlayer (ALT): $0.0077671598, down 0.58% over 24 hours and up 5.34% over seven days, as of 09:18 +03:30.
The data illustrates varied performance across altcoins rather than a uniform move. Against that backdrop, the sharp increase in exchange deposits is being watched as a potential indication of increased willingness among some holders to sell, rather than as confirmation that a market-wide decline is underway.
