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Altcoin spot sell pressure has reached its most extreme level since CryptoQuant began tracking the metric in 2020, according to analyst IT Tech. The cumulative buy/sell volume difference for altcoins — excluding BTC and ETH — has fallen to its deepest negative reading on record, driven by 15 consecutive months of net selling on spot exchanges.
Why it matters
This is not a routine drawdown or a short-term liquidity squeeze. Fifteen months of uninterrupted net selling represents a structural shift in how market participants are treating the altcoin segment. The indicator had shown signs of recovery in early 2025, nearly returning to flat, before reversing sharply lower and continuing to deteriorate — a failed recovery that historically signals exhausted demand rather than a temporary pause.
The exclusion of BTC and ETH from the metric is significant: it isolates the long tail of the altcoin market, where retail and speculative capital tends to concentrate. Sustained net selling at this depth suggests that capital is not rotating within crypto — it is leaving the altcoin segment entirely.
Market impact
For traders, the data argues against bottom-fishing in lower-cap altcoins until the cumulative volume differential shows a sustained reversal. The failed early-2025 recovery attempt raises the bar for any new bullish signal — a brief uptick in buy volume is unlikely to be enough. Watch for the indicator to stabilise and hold above its current trough before treating any altcoin rally as structurally supported.
Source: [Altcoin sell pressure just hit a 5-year extreme — Cryptoquant](https://cryptoquant.com/insights/quicktake/6a319b71178f3b625a4b4d9a-Altcoin-sell-pressure-just-hit-a-5-year-extreme)
Frequently asked questions
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Why does the CryptoQuant metric exclude BTC and ETH from the altcoin sell pressure reading?
Excluding BTC and ETH isolates the broader altcoin long tail, where retail and speculative capital tends to concentrate, giving a cleaner signal of demand conditions in that specific segment of the market.
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What does 15 consecutive months of net selling on spot exchanges actually mean for altcoin prices?
It means sell-side volume has consistently outpaced buy-side volume on spot exchanges for over a year, indicating that capital is not merely rotating within crypto but actively leaving the altcoin segment.
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Why is the failed early-2025 recovery attempt considered a bearish signal?
The indicator nearly returned to flat in early 2025, suggesting a potential floor, before reversing sharply lower. A failed recovery at a multi-year extreme historically signals exhausted demand rather than a temporary pause.
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How deep is the current cumulative buy/sell volume difference compared to previous lows?
According to CryptoQuant analyst IT Tech, the indicator has fallen to its deepest negative level since the data series began in 2020, making the current reading a five-year extreme.
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What would traders need to see before treating an altcoin rally as structurally supported?
The cumulative buy/sell volume differential would need to stabilise and hold above its current trough in a sustained manner — a brief uptick in buy volume alone is not considered sufficient given the depth and duration of the current sell pressure.
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