Cryptocurrency analyst Michaël van de Poppe recently warned that most altcoins are unlikely to survive 2026 due to poor structural performance, increasing competition, and weak token economic models.

This assessment comes against the backdrop of the cryptocurrency market in 2026 facing many uncertainties. Many experts predict that the market will continue a prolonged downturn, while others believe that favorable factors may converge to usher in a new growth cycle.

The altcoin cleansing of 2026: Why many tokens will fail, only a few will endure

In a recent video on YouTube, Van de Poppe emphasized that the assumption 'altcoins always recover' is a dangerous perspective. He noted that the past year has brought a significant shock, with most altcoins declining even more sharply than in 2022.

This is indeed a brutal bear market year, with most altcoins losing around 90% of their value. I believe that most of them will never be able to recover,” he shared.

Van de Poppe pointed out several reasons why altcoins may face difficulties in the coming year, notably weak token economic models and ineffective financial management. According to him:

The first reason many altcoins struggle to survive is due to poor financial management by founders, building unreasonable tokenomics models, or encountering price drops so severe that recovery becomes impossible.

Additionally, the prolongation of the downturn market is also an important factor. Van de Poppe describes this as the 'longest bear market' in cryptocurrency history, comparing it to the post-dot-com bubble period.

If we look back at the collapse after the dot-com bubble, most projects and tech companies from that time could not return,” he noted.

The rapid advancement of technology is also reshaping the competitive landscape. Van de Poppe uses previous generation projects as examples, showing that newer, more efficient solutions have replaced many altcoins built from previous cycles.

In some cases, the initial issues these projects aimed to address no longer exist, diminishing their practicality and long-term growth potential. He also noted that the entry of large organizations into the market, while beneficial overall for the cryptocurrency industry, may disadvantage smaller projects.

If we take Neo as an example from 2017, there are now superior solutions for the problems they once aimed to solve... When large organizations get involved, that impact will be positive for the entire industry, but it poses a significant challenge for smaller groups that lack competitive capability,” he added.

Although warning that most altcoins will not perform well in 2026, Van de Poppe still believes that some projects have the potential to survive. According to his analysis framework, altcoins that can withstand the test are those that show a separation between price performance and foundational growth.

He believes that projects with growing on-chain activity, increasing total value locked (TVL), high trading volumes, and rising fee revenues – despite weak or declining token prices – are potential candidates for long-term survival. He highlighted Arbitrum, Aave, and NEAR as prime examples.

The current price of Arbitrum is at a record low compared to before, while ecosystem growth has increased nearly 200% at the same time. That's where you can find quality altcoins,” Van de Poppe commented.

This viewpoint aligns with the general consensus in the industry that a broad altcoin season may not occur; only a few selective assets will have the opportunity to benefit as the market matures.

Therefore, the gap between existing and failing altcoins is expected to become increasingly pronounced in the next cycle. Although this cleansing process may lead to short-term losses, in the long run, it will help strengthen the cryptocurrency ecosystem by concentrating value on projects with solid foundations and high resilience.

https://coinphoton.com/michael-van-de-poppe-giai-thich-ly-do-tai-sao-hau-het-cac-altcoin-kho-co-the-ton-tai-qua-nam-2026.html