Altcoin survival criteria: CryptoQuant chapter highlights three key groups
The altcoin market is entering a new era, where hype and empty promises are being replaced by real business metrics and global financial trends. The founder of the analytical platform CryptoQuant, Ki Young Ju, has presented his vision of which altcoins have the right to long-term existence.
In his analysis, he identifies three clear categories that, in his opinion, retain investment appeal not on the wave of memes, but due to fundamental factors.
First group: Global internet companies
This includes projects that already have a tokenized market layer, real revenue, and strong execution. Prominent examples are BNB (Binance) and GRAM (TON/Telegram). These assets demonstrate resilience, backed by the long-term commitments of their creators and integration into real business ecosystems. Essentially, these are cryptocurrencies tied to the success of major technology platforms.
Second group: DeFi services with income
Ki Young Ju highlights decentralized platforms that generate stable income and consider the interests of token holders. Examples include Hyperliquid and high-quality decentralized exchanges (DEXs). The key point here is not just trading volumes, but the platform's ability to provide real value to users and distribute profits.
Third group: Trendy financial projects
This includes infrastructure embedded in global financial trends. It covers projects in the RWA (real-world assets) sector, stablecoins, and AI agents. According to the analyst, these areas are analogous to the dot-com era, where only the strongest and most technologically mature companies will remain after the bubble bursts.
My professional perspective: Ki Young Ju's approach is a clear signal that the altcoin market is undergoing a phase of rigorous selection. The ongoing 15-month capital outflow from altcoins (according to CryptoQuant, the cumulative difference in buy and sell volumes has hit a low not seen since 2020) confirms that investors are no longer willing to fund projects without a real business model. Only those that can offer not just a "digital coin" but a working service or product with a clear economy will survive.
The market is maturing, and classic principles of investment analysis—revenue, cash flow, and market share—are becoming the main selection criteria. 99.9% of altcoins, in the analyst's words, deserve to be rejected, but that doesn't mean all of them are garbage. The investor's task is to be selective, not biased.