WuBlockchain
CryptoQuant analyst IT Tech says altcoin sell pressure on spot exchanges has reached a five-year extreme, with the spot market clocking 15 consecutive months of net selling. The cumulative buy/sell volume differential for altcoins excluding BTC and ETH has fallen to its deepest negative level since CryptoQuant began tracking the metric in 2020.
Why it matters
The indicator had nearly returned to flat in early 2025 before reversing sharply lower and continuing to decline — a pattern consistent with sustained distribution rather than a single panic event. A reading this stretched historically precedes either a violent short-term flush that clears weak hands, or a longer grind that resolves only when the sell-side cohort is exhausted.
Market impact
The signal is sector-wide rather than token-specific: BTC and ETH are excluded from the measure, so the pressure is concentrated in the altcoin complex outside the two majors. Investors watching for a rotation back into smaller caps will read this as the supply backdrop still needing to clear before sustained bid returns.
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
-
What did the CryptoQuant analyst actually flag?
Analyst IT Tech said altcoin sell pressure on spot exchanges has reached a five-year extreme, with the spot market logging 15 consecutive months of net selling.
-
Which assets are included in the altcoin sell-pressure measure?
The cumulative buy/sell volume differential tracks altcoins excluding BTC and ETH, so the signal isolates the broader altcoin complex outside the two majors.
-
When did CryptoQuant start tracking this metric?
CryptoQuant began tracking the cumulative buy/sell volume differential for altcoins in 2020, and the current reading is the deepest negative print in that window.
-
Did the indicator briefly recover before turning lower again?
Yes — the measure had nearly returned to flat in early 2025 before reversing sharply lower and continuing to decline into the latest print.
-
What does a five-year extreme sell-pressure reading typically signal?
A reading this stretched historically resolves through a violent short-term capitulation that clears weak hands, or a longer grind that only ends once the sell-side cohort is exhausted.
CoinTelegraph
TheBlock
Glassnode
Crypto Rank News
Whale Alert
CryptoSlate
Lookonchain
CoinDesk