How to seize the opportunity of a broad rally across all meme coin sectors?
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How to seize the opportunity of a broad rally across all meme coin sectors?
Luck may win for a moment, but only strength ensures lasting success; wealth is the reward of understanding.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAuthor: DC greater than C
This article analyzes and compares the performance and initiation timing of BTC, ETH, SOL, and altcoin seasons during previous bull markets in 2021, 2023, and 2024. It also offers insights into navigating current and future altcoin rallies. The full text exceeds 3,000 words and requires patience to read through—though you can scroll down to the conclusion. I believe reading it entirely will be rewarding. Thank you all.
Having experienced multiple bull and bear cycles and witnessed the rise and fall of numerous sectors, the crypto market resembles a dynamic stage filled with endless possibilities. Here, knowledge constantly evolves, and only through continuous learning can one keep pace with market rhythms and reap wealth within the scope of their understanding. As the saying goes, "One day in crypto equals one year in real life"—this rapid evolution is precisely what makes the crypto market uniquely captivating. These views are for reference only; differing opinions are welcome for discussion. Thank you. (All price charts are based on weekly timeframes.)
End of 2020 to Mid-2021 Pre-519
As shown:
First Phase: Oct 5, 2020 – Dec 21, 2020: BTC surged first, while ETH traded sideways with modest gains. From a chart perspective, ETH appeared genuinely weak during this phase;
Second Phase: Dec 28, 2020 – Feb 22, 2021: BTC fluctuated with pullbacks and consolidation, while ETH began a strong rally with slight volatility;
Third Phase: Mar 1, 2021 – May 19, 2021: BTC consolidated at high levels, ETH entered its major uptrend until the May 19 crash triggered a broad market correction;
In summary, BTC led early, followed by ETH's surge in the mid-to-late stages. Now let’s examine how various altcoin sectors performed.
Exchange Tokens (BNB, MX, HT, etc.): Launched their major uptrend starting Feb 1, 2021, after an initial period of consolidation and gradual rise.
Meme Sector: Doge began its sharp rally toward the end of the first wave, overlapping into the second wave. SHIB, listed on Uniswap since August 2020, underwent consolidation before launching its main uptrend in January 2021, lasting until the May 19 crash;
Layer 1 (L1) Blockchains: Projects such as SOL, AVAX, CHR, ADA, DOT, ATOM, FTM, ENJ, and VET started their uptrends in the second wave beginning Dec 28, 2020. THETA, NEAR, and INJ began rising in the mid-to-late stage of the first wave;
Gaming & Metaverse Sectors: AXS, MANA, SAND, etc., rose gradually in the first wave and launched significant rallies in the second wave;
DeFi: UNI, SUSHI, MKR, 1INCH, ALPHA, COMP—all began their uptrends in the second wave, with only a few showing minor strength in the first wave;
Other Sectors: High-profile projects like FIL and legacy coins such as ETC only began their major uptrends in the third wave.
Summary
In this bull run, BTC led the initial surge—even making repeated new highs—while ETH remained relatively flat. Only in the middle to later stages did ETH truly catch up, followed by successive major rallies across altcoin sectors. The sectors listed here are not exhaustive, but most major secondary narratives saw strong gains, offering ample profit opportunities, especially in Meme, L1, gaming, and metaverse categories.
Note: Most of these projects were listed on Binance between 2019 and 2020. For example, the highly speculative metaverse and gaming narratives of 2021 were already represented on Binance by 2020—demonstrating Binance’s foresight in identifying emerging narratives and new sectors. Public blockchains have long been a popular theme. Memes gained traction due to the rise of DEXs in 2020, further amplified by Elon Musk’s endorsements of DOGE and SHIB, which fueled broader interest.
Second Major Uptrend in 2021: July 2021 to End of Year
From the chart, we see that from July to November 2021, BTC and ETH moved almost in lockstep, rising together. As for the previously mentioned altcoins, those who lived through it likely still remember clearly.
Meme Sector: While DOGE didn’t surge again in H2, SHIB multiplied tenfold post-May 19, and many new meme projects emerged—BABYDOGE, FLOKI, etc.
L1 Blockchains: AVAX, SOL, CHR, ENJ, ADA, FTM, and others reached new highs in the second half;
Gaming & Metaverse: AXS, SAND, MANA, RACA, etc., all achieved new peaks;
DeFi Sector: Mostly went silent in H2, with no fresh speculation or rallies;
Other Sectors: FIL, legacy coins like ETC and BCH saw no renewed hype or price action. Thus concluded the entire year of 2021.
Summary of 2021 Bull Market Altcoin Trends:
Macro Background: After the 2020 U.S. election, 2021 was a monetary easing cycle driven by pandemic-related stimulus—the Fed’s largest liquidity injection since 2008. Under such loose monetary conditions and rampant liquidity, BTC surged nearly 7x from $10,000 in October 2020 to $69,000, while ETH jumped over 14x from $340 to $4,870.
As for altcoins—was it truly a broad-based rally? Yes, in H1 (pre-May 19), most altcoins rose broadly. But in H2, many sectors stalled or even began draining market liquidity.
PS: How you define “broad altcoin rally” matters. If we consider 5–10x+ gains as participation, then over 70% of projects qualified. But if many argue, “Wait, only 10x in a bull market? That’s low,” then defining a true rally as 30x+, the participation rate drops sharply—to no more than 20%.
Only public blockchains, gaming, metaverse, and memes sustained consistent speculation. DeFi, along with other less popular niches I didn’t list—like music, fan tokens, infrastructure—mostly peaked quickly or stagnated.
Moreover, the projects in these consistently hot sectors were mostly launched on major exchanges between 2019 and 2020, particularly those listed on Binance in 2020, whether via direct listing or IEO. So should we pay attention to sector projects that debuted on Binance between 2022–2024? Don’t worry—I’ll come back to this.
As for altcoins that had their primary exchange listing during the 2021 bull run—whether on large or small exchanges—how many survived to today? Can you even recall them? If you do, chances are you’re still holding bags.
Third Major Uptrend: October 2023 to March 2024
As shown: From October 2023 to March 2024, BTC and ETH once again moved in sync, rising together. What about altcoins? After the 2022 bear market, new hot sectors emerged with major exchange listings—AI, Ethereum L2s, modular blockchains like those from Celestia (TIA), while metaverse faded.
Let’s look at key sectors: L1, L2, AI, gaming, and memes. In terms of number of high-performing projects, the ranking goes roughly: L1 = Meme > AI > Gaming.
Established L1s: ETH, SOL, INJ, CKB—no need to elaborate;
New L1s: SEI, TIA, SUI, TAO, NTRN—all delivered 5–10x returns;
Meme Coins: ORDI and SATS (BRC20 memes), PEPE, WIF, BOME, BONK, FLOKI—all achieved 5–10x or higher;
AI Projects: ARKM, WLD (AI-adjacent, included here for now)—also 5–10x;
Gaming: PIXEL, PORTAL, XAI, ACE, etc.—gained 50% to 2x;
Other Sectors like DeFi & Infrastructure: PENDLE and ID—5–10x;
Ethereum L2s: ARB, OP, STRK—modest gains, except METIS, which reached 10x;
Beyond these, most other projects showed limited movement and weren’t part of dominant speculative narratives.
Summary
Macro Context: Following the 2022 rate hike cycle, the Fed paused hikes in September 2023, coupled with growing speculation—and eventual approval and trading—of Bitcoin spot ETFs.
Previously, liquidity expansion meant balance sheet growth. This time, however, the Fed was still shrinking its balance sheet, so market liquidity was constrained. Capital concentrated in top-tier narratives, nowhere near the flood seen in 2021. Hence, a broad-based altcoin rally across all sectors was nearly impossible. Once again, only L1 blockchains and memes proved enduring themes. As for gaming, I believe limited liquidity played a role, along with SOL’s surge and the rise of memes on SOL, which absorbed much of the available capital.
Remember what I said earlier? Projects in new sectors that launched on major exchanges—especially Binance—between 2022 and 2024 deserve attention. Nearly all the projects mentioned above (excluding established L1s) debuted on major exchanges during 2022–2023. This is a valuable trading insight to retain—let’s see if it continues to hold.
Current Market: October 2024 to Present (Personal Analysis of Macro Conditions, BTC, ETH, SOL, and Altcoin Sectors)
I won’t include charts for BTC and ETH—their movements and the gains of various altcoin projects are clear enough to most observers by now.
To date, the only category that has truly taken off is Memes. Among L1s, only SOL, SUI, and some established chains have performed well; the rest remain dormant. However, good news: right now, at the moment I’m writing this, ETH appears to be gaining momentum.
Summary
Macro Context: The Fed began its rate-cutting cycle in September 2024. With Trump—a crypto-friendly U.S. president-elect—likely taking office, and balance sheet contraction possibly ending by Q1 next year, combined with spot ETFs already active, we’re transitioning from tight to loose policy. Although full-scale money printing hasn’t started, the shift is clear. A new four-year cycle is upon us—highly promising.
The first wave is unfolding now through Q1 next year. Whether there will be another 312-style crash depends on whether the U.S. enters a recession or faces other black swan events. If so, we may see a scenario similar to 2020–2021, which I’ll analyze in detail when the time comes.
If the U.S. economy avoids recession—achieving a soft landing—then no 312 event occurs, and the party continues.
BTC, SOL, BNB, and newer L1s like SUI have already risen, driving meme coin gains. Other sectors remain quiet. As our earlier analysis suggested, ETH’s move is critical—and coincidentally, ETH is now showing strength, potentially entering its second wave. (At the time of writing, market reactions confirm this—isn’t this exactly what I mentioned earlier? L1s are erupting again, proving once more they’re timeless speculative narratives.)
With ETH entering its second wave and favorable macro conditions, a broad altcoin season across multiple sectors is highly probable. To identify which specific sectors might outperform, focus on: new and established L1s, Memes, Ethereum L2s, and AI-related projects (especially AI + Meme hybrids). Gaming isn’t excluded—it may just come later in the cycle.
What the crypto market speculates on ultimately reflects in specific tokens. So how do we identify the next trending narrative? Watch Binance listings and U.S. macro trends—including coverage by major American media outlets.
From 2022 to now, Binance has listed the most projects in these sectors: L1s, Memes, L2s, gaming, AI, DeFi (not worth focusing on—if you want massive returns, Memes and L1s alone offer plenty of opportunity), plus RWA and DePIN (showing early signs). Beyond these, my point remains: for life-changing gains, opportunities in Memes, L1s, gaming, and AI are more than sufficient.
When it comes to spotting new narratives and emerging sectors, Binance acts as an industry barometer. Combined with its unmatched liquidity depth, this leadership is unquestionable.
Even more important is tracking U.S. signals. Forget everything else—just look at the price action of DOGE and PNUT. That tells you everything. You must pay attention. And remember, SOL is a project built and backed by powerful U.S. capital and market makers. The same goes for SUI, APT, OMNI, ALT, and others.
Timing and token selection are crucial. Getting in isn’t hard—but knowing when to exit is. For any project, assess potential valuation based on macro backdrop, sector positioning, exchange listing (Binance, Coinbase, Upbit, OKX), market maker involvement (and their typical behavior), ceiling relative to peers, and long-term narrative viability. No project rises forever—corrections are inevitable, even for BTC. Markets are inherently counterintuitive; FOMO-driven emotional trading rarely ends well.
Thank you. DYOR.
Final Thoughts
This is not investment advice. It’s a synthesis of past bull market experiences, observations of market shifts, and a call for continuous learning to deepen market understanding—only then can one stay aligned with market rhythms and earn wealth commensurate with one’s insight. Market liquidity, market maker dynamics, evolving project narratives, and especially speculative expectations—all require ongoing study and adaptation. This market changes too fast.
Readers must elevate their own market awareness and make informed choices. Luck wins short-term; skill sustains long-term. Wealth is the reward of understanding.
May we all navigate this cycle with clarity and confidence. Thank you all.
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