Entering 2026, many traders haven't noticed a subtle detail—the market's structure has been quietly changing.

This cycle is completely different from the previous "crazy coins flying everywhere" clone season.

The leading gains are no longer from purely emotional coins, but from those old-school clones that have accumulated consensus, have a substantial size, and a user base. This can be clearly seen from the market data:

BTC, ETH, SOL are still consolidating at low levels with limited gains. However, meme tokens, storage sector, Ethereum layer 2, fan tokens, including well-known clones from the last cycle, are already showing obvious rebounds.

This is not a coincidence; it resembles a tentative probe by capital. They are not directly pumping prices but asking a question: do these coins still have storytelling, market-making, and liquidity attraction value?

If the market signals affirmation, then the subsequent capital will truly follow.

Based on this logic, in 2026, there will still be some coins—those with a narrative foundation and sufficient liquidity—that will perform several times over. But this won't be a full-blown bull market; it will be a "re-pricing after selective filtering." When chips are dispersed and the market is quiet enough, it becomes the easiest time for market-making.

Where is the problem? Most people will make the most counterintuitive decisions at this stage. They endured a long period of sharp retracement in 2025 but will emotionally flee at the first sign of a small rebound in 2026. Not because their logic has changed, but simply because they've run out of patience.

The market never favors those driven by the strongest emotions; it only rewards those who understand the structure and can endure cycles.

You don't have to chase highs, but don't easily give up your chips before the structure is truly complete.