The crypto market is at all-time highs, yet uncertainty remains about what comes next. For many traders, including myself, the key questions are simple: When will Bitcoin peak? When will Ethereum top? And when does altseason truly begin?
Ciclop, a crypto veteran with eight years of market experience and over $6 million in profits, has laid out his perspective after spending 13 hours studying past cycles. His conclusion: while the broad structure of crypto bull markets hasn’t changed much over the last decade, the market’s scale and players mean the final stages might look different this time.
What History Tells Us About Tops and Altseason
Looking back at previous cycles, Ciclop notes a clear pattern:
- In 2017, Bitcoin rallied strongly from April to mid-December, peaking on December 17. BTC dominance dropped sharply afterward, sparking a one-month altseason that topped out in January 2018.
- In 2021, a similar structure emerged. Bitcoin’s rally from May peaked on November 10, followed by a rapid fall in BTC dominance from 70% to 38%. Altcoins had their moment over the next 28 days, peaking in December before a sharp crash.
In both cycles, Bitcoin’s peak was followed by a brief Ethereum and large-cap rally, then a 30–40 day window for altseason. Once that ended, the market collapsed.
Now is the most unclear timeline I’ve seen
Market is at ATH, but no one knows what’s next:
When altszn? When BTC top? When ETH top?
This is my 3rd cycle & I spent 13h studying past cycles to find answers
🧵: What’s next, when altszn, when bull run peak 👇 pic.twitter.com/39h6fGtQ4t
— 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗽 (@nobrainflip) August 10, 2025
Ciclop sees the same structure forming now. He expects:
- A new Bitcoin all-time high soon
- An Ethereum rally to new highs over the following month
- Roughly 20–40 days of strong altcoin gains, likely peaking in the December–January window
Will the Crash Be the Same?
In previous cycles, Bitcoin and Ethereum saw drawdowns of 70–80% from peak to trough. This time, Ciclop believes the drop could be milder – closer to 60% for BTC and ETH – as the market’s size and institutional involvement make such deep declines harder to achieve.
That said, high-cap altcoins could still fall 90%, just as in prior cycles. Black swan events remain the wild card, from major exchange collapses to protocol failures. As Ciclop puts it, “When things feel like they can’t get any better, we’ll start falling – and if bad news hits, the fall will be faster.”
Why He’s Taking Profits Now
Ciclop has already sold 30% of his Ethereum holdings, citing an unfavorable risk/reward ratio at current levels. His plan is to scale out of positions into November and December, a timeframe that has historically marked the end of Bitcoin rallies and the start of altcoin peaks.
His advice is blunt: “You’re never going to sell your full size at the top. No one does. Sell while it’s going up, because you won’t when it starts going down.”
The Takeaway
For traders entering the market now, Ciclop stresses three priorities:
- Have a clear plan for taking profits
- Select the right altcoins for the final stage of the cycle
- Follow credible sources and manage risk
If history repeats, Bitcoin and Ethereum could see their peaks before year-end, followed by a short but explosive altseason. Whether the eventual crash is as deep as in past cycles or not, those without an exit plan risk riding the wave all the way back down.
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