Rising tensions between Israel and Iran have created market uncertainty, leading investors to favor safer assets like Bitcoin and pushing its dominance to 65.30%, while altcoins lag. However, a recent Bybit report reveals a shift in sentiment, with XRP standing out as a strong altcoin contender. From November to May, XRP holdings on the platform more than doubled, and its price surged by 338%, from $0.50 to $2.19.
This rise came as legal pressures between Ripple vs SEC eased, boosting confidence among retail and institutional investors. Despite the broader market favoring Bitcoin, XRP is now gaining momentum as traders begin shifting focus to its growing potential.
XRP ETF Approval Hopes Fuel
Another boost came from speculation over an XRP spot ETF. According to prediction platform Polymarket, there’s an 85% chance of approval this year. Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart is even more optimistic, placing the odds at 95%. Although President Trump’s comments about XRP becoming part of a U.S. crypto reserve didn’t pan out, they still helped fuel interest. Bybit noted that XRP’s holding percentage jumped from 1.29% to 2.42% in just six months.
Bitcoin Remains King
Despite XRP’s impressive gains, Bitcoin remains the clear market leader. Bybit’s data shows that 30.95% of assets held by users are in BTC. For every $1 of ETH held, there’s $4 in BTC. Bitcoin dominance has risen from 53.2% to 64% over the past year, while Ether’s share dropped from 18% to 9%. The concentration of BTC and ETH fell to 48.2% in early 2025 but bounced back to 58.8% by May, showing strong investor confidence.
Institutions Still Opting for BTC and ETH
The report reveals a clear divide between institutional and retail investor strategies. As of May 2025, retail traders held just 11.64% in BTC and 6.8% in ETH, nearly half the institutional holdings. This gap points to the cautious approach institutions take, favoring regulated large caps, while retail players remain more experimental.
Altseason Delayed?
Altcoins have struggled recently, with the Altcoin Season Index dropping to 12 after stabilising at 17, its lowest in two years. Interest in smaller cryptocurrencies dropped sharply, from 35.2% in November to 23.5% in May. Meme coins and DeFi tokens held up relatively well, but AI tokens, GameFi, and NFTs saw declines. Despite Bitcoin reaching a new all-time high in May, altcoins failed to rally, suggesting that the traditional “altseason” is either delayed or canceled for now.
This signals a strong Bitcoin season, where BTC outperforms top 50 altcoins. Institutions are favoring major assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP, pouring capital into ETFs and related investment products instead of rotating into smaller altcoins. Hopes for an altcoin rally have faded for now, as big players stick to the more established names.
