CryptoQuant CEO: 99.9% of altcoins are dead

Ki Young Ju, chief executive of CryptoQuant, wrote on the social platform X on June 17, 2026 that 99.9% of altcoins are dead and identified three groups he believes can hold value over the long term.

He argued that narrative-driven token issuances no longer sustain prices. Ju said the total altcoin market capitalization has barely moved beyond its 2021 peak across multiple cycles and that new institutional capital in 2026 flowed mainly into Bitcoin as changes in monetary policy and global geopolitics focused attention on the largest cryptocurrency.

The first group Ju listed includes global internet businesses that issue tokens instead of listing equity. He pointed to Binance’s BNB and Telegram’s Toncoin (GRAM) as examples, noting both are supported by revenue, large user bases and ongoing execution. Ju wrote that such tokens could offer regulated investors ecosystem exposure as exchange-traded products open to institutions.

The second group covers decentralized finance protocols that generate verified revenue. Ju named Hyperliquid (HYPE) and cited its 2026 trading volumes as evidence of demand. He wrote that founder credibility and governance that respect token holders separate durable projects from speculative launches. A forecast from Standard Chartered cited by Ju projects DeFi could reach $2.7 trillion by 2030.

The third group includes stablecoins, tokenized real-world assets and tokenized equities, which Ju described as attracting institutional demand. He also highlighted blockchain infrastructure serving AI agents as a potential growth area and compared it with technology businesses that emerged after the dot-com bust.

Addressing followers who favor Bitcoin maximalism, Ju wrote: “I agree that 99.9% of altcoins should be rejected. But ‘most are trash’ is not the same as ‘all are trash.’ Be selective, not prejudiced.”

Analysts with similar views have recommended selecting altcoins based on revenue, user adoption and governance rather than broad market exposure. Ju added that whether selective altcoin strategies will outperform in a regulated, institutionally driven market could become clearer in the second half of 2026.