TLDR
- Benjamin Cowen stated that most altcoins have no long-term demand, use cases, or revenue.
- He explained that mid-cycle periods expose weak projects due to lower liquidity and risk appetite.
- Cowen believes that the market must cleanse itself by eliminating unsustainable tokens.
- He defended his position by pointing to his consistent advice across several market cycles.
- Critics questioned his credibility, but Cowen emphasized his focus on risk management.
Market analysts are increasingly emphasizing that most altcoins have no viable future, arguing that many tokens must be cleared. This comes as Benjamin Cowen reiterates that expectations for a sudden altcoin rally ignore key market conditions and fundamentals. His statements sparked strong reactions but were backed by a consistent long-term strategy.
Stop believing in alt season just because some guru told you it would happen.
Most alts should and likely will go to zero.
The crypto asset class needs to be cleansed of a lot of useless garbage, and midterm years are great for that.
— Benjamin Cowen (@intocryptoverse) January 26, 2026
Altcoins Face Mid-Cycle Failures Due to Lack of Fundamentals
Benjamin Cowen stated that most altcoins lack revenue, demand, or utility, which makes them fragile in tighter market conditions. He explained that mid-cycle phases often expose weak projects, turning speculative momentum into sharp corrections.
He argued that many tokens survive only in bullish environments where liquidity masks fundamental flaws and demand gaps. “Thousands of tokens exist without long-term value,” Cowen said, describing the situation as a market feature, not a bug.
He added that failure is part of healthy capital rotation, where quality projects stand out after weaker ones disappear. This process, according to him, reflects the natural consequences of low barriers to token creation and entry.
Crypto Community Debates Claims but Analysts Emphasize Consistency
Following Cowen’s remarks, several detractors questioned his stance and accused him of promoting similar speculative narratives himself. In response, he emphasized consistency in his message, highlighting years of advising against hype-driven trading.
He stated, “Encouraging optimism is different from ignoring risk,” and explained that past warnings had aimed to protect retail participants. According to him, rejecting altcoin hype has remained central to his approach through multiple market cycles.
Many supporters backed this perspective, asserting that clear messaging helps distinguish between promoting education and pushing speculative behavior. Debate continued, but Cowen stood by the data-driven nature of his forecasts.
Bear Markets Force Differentiation Between Quality and Noise
During bull markets, altcoins rise indiscriminately, making it hard to separate strong assets from weak ones with no clear roadmap. However, during bear cycles or resets, only tokens with solid fundamentals retain value and market attention.
Analysts argue that cycles expose fake narratives, which often dominate attention until liquidity constraints force markets to be selective. As capital retreats from riskier assets, it refocuses on those with real use cases, robust security, and long-term viability.
This cleansing phase, many believe, is overdue due to the sheer volume of low-effort tokens that exist only to ride speculative waves. Structural inefficiencies become obvious in these conditions, highlighting projects unable to sustain themselves outside hype.
Crypto Market Sentiment Points to Selective Survival
Community discussions now focus more on sustainability, as confidence in random token success continues to fall across platforms. While a few coins retain strong ecosystems, the general outlook warns against relying on influencers or cycle-based narratives.
Cowen’s core argument remains that markets self-correct by eliminating unsustainable projects and rewarding assets with strong foundations. “Hype may sell short-term, but only fundamentals survive cycles,” one analyst said in agreement.
