The founder of crypto analytics firm CryptoQuant, Ki Young Ju, has weighed in on the debate reinvigorated by Bitcoin‘s rising market dominance, pushing back against claims that the altcoin era is over for good. According to Ki, it’s not all altcoins that are faltering, but rather only those projects that rely purely on hype and storytelling without real substance.
Income-generating projects take the spotlight
Sharing his insights on X, Ki Young Ju observed that simply issuing a token is no longer sufficient to attract serious attention or capital in today’s market. He emphasized that the projects most likely to survive are those built on solid business models with measurable revenue streams, rather than speculative narratives.
The era of narrative-driven altcoins is largely over. The times when you could profit just by issuing a token are behind us; projects that will endure are those based on genuine operational structures.
Delving deeper, Ki outlined three primary groups of altcoins that show signs of viability. In the first group are global internet companies using tokens as an integral part of their broader ecosystem strategy. Examples highlighted include Binance’s native BNB and Telegram-affiliated TON, which integrate tokens into their larger business models.
CryptoQuant is known as a crypto research platform providing on-chain data and in-depth market behavior analysis. Ki Young Ju himself has become a closely watched figure in the sector for his takes on market cycles and capital flows.
Growth of ecosystems and shifting investor interest
According to Ki, the defining characteristic of these successful projects is not the token’s marketing narrative, but the growth of its underlying business model. An expanding active user base, established products, and strong long-term operational capabilities are factors that give these digital assets longevity in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Ki also noted that some investors now prefer to access blockchain ecosystems through digital assets rather than company shares. With the expansion of regulated crypto investment products, this trend could soon become even more prominent and visible within mainstream finance.
DeFi, stablecoins, and tokenized assets gain traction
The second group identified by Ki includes decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms with sustainable revenue models. He pointed to decentralized exchanges and other well-established DeFi protocols, such as Hyperliquid, which continue to generate tangible income from user activity, setting them apart from less sustainable projects.
Mini glossary: Tokenized real-world assets refer to the digital representation of traditional assets, such as bonds, funds, commodities, or real estate, on a blockchain. This structure aims to enable on-chain trading and more transparent ownership tracking.
The third category encompasses stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets, tokenized stocks, and the blockchain infrastructures that support them. While Ki noted it has been difficult for the overall altcoin market cap to break significantly above its 2021 peak, he underscored Bitcoin’s strength, thanks largely to robust inflows from traditional finance following the launch of spot Bitcoin investment products.
Ki’s overall assessment is that the market’s attention has shifted sharply towards blockchain’s practical applications. Infrastructure supporting stablecoins, tokenized financial products, and AI agents has taken a more central position in sector debates. Yet he cautioned that the elimination of weaker projects should not be seen as a write-off for the entire altcoin landscape.
