Top 5 Ethereum Based Altcoins for Alt Season Bullrun 2025-26
Have you heard about “alt season”? It is when smaller cryptocurrencies called altcoins suddenly go up in price just like Bitcoin or Ethereum did in their big rallies. When Ethereum starts to run, many tokens built on its network (ERC‑20 tokens) also get a boost. In the 2025–26 bull run, smart investors will watch Ethereum’s moves closely because it often lifts these altcoins with it.
Below are five of the best Ethereum‑based altcoins to watch at the end of 2025 and the start of 2026. Each one is:
- Built on Ethereum’s blockchain technology
- A strong project with real use cases and active communities
- Poised to rally alongside Ethereum in the next bull market
Let’s dive in!
1. Ethena (ENA)
What it does
Ethena is a crypto‑native stablecoin protocol. Its synthetic dollar (USDe) combines on‑chain dollars and smart hedging to stay near 1 USD while also earning yield.
Current stats
- Price: 0.63 USD
- Market cap: 4.02 billion USD
- Circulating supply: 6.35 billion ENA
2025–26 projection
By early 2026, analysts expect ENA to trade around 1.42 USD, which is about 2.25 times today’s price.
Why it matters
In DeFi, a stablecoin that pays yield without relying on banks can change the game. As money flows back into DeFi, Ethena’s USDe could see explosive growth.
2. Chainlink (LINK)
What it does
Chainlink powers decentralized oracles that feed real‑world data such as price feeds into smart contracts on Ethereum. It ensures data integrity and security.
Current stats
- Price: 18.88 USD
- Market cap: 12.79 billion USD
- Circulating supply: 678 million LINK
2025–26 projection
By early 2026, Chainlink is projected to average 44.08 USD, roughly 2.33 times its current price.
Why it matters
As more DeFi and Web3 projects launch, they will need reliable, tamper‑proof data. Chainlink’s network fees and demand should rise accordingly.
3. Shiba Inu (SHIB)
What it does
Shiba Inu began as a meme token but now has a full ecosystem that includes an L2 network (Shibarium), a decentralized exchange (Shibaswap), and a governance token (BONE).
Current stats
- Price: 0.00001406 USD
- Market cap: 8.28 billion USD
- Circulating supply: 589 trillion SHIB
2025–26 projection
By the end of 2025, SHIB could reach 0.0000334 USD, which is about 2.37 times today’s price.
Why it matters
Shiba Inu’s massive community and token‑burning mechanisms aim to reduce supply over time. If adoption of Shibarium and its NFT or gaming apps picks up, SHIB could outperform many DeFi tokens.
4. Ondo Finance (ONDO)
What it does
Ondo issues risk‑isolated, fixed‑yield loans backed by crypto assets. It brings traditional finance yields into the Ethereum ecosystem.
Current stats
- Price: 1.04 USD
- Market cap: 3.30 billion USD
- Circulating supply: 3.16 billion ONDO
2025–26 projection
By early 2026, ONDO is expected to trade near 1.60 USD, about 1.54 times its current price.
Why it matters
Investors seeking stable, high‑grade yield in crypto will turn to Ondo’s pools. As institutional DeFi demand grows, Ondo’s loan tranches could become a top choice.
5. Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)
What it does
Virtuals is an AI‑powered launchpad and agent ecosystem. It enables users to create on‑chain AI agents that perform tasks such as trading, data analysis, or content generation.
Current stats
- Price: 1.58 USD
- Market cap: 1.03 billion USD
- Circulating supply: 655 million VIRTUAL
2025–26 projection
Its all‑time high of 5.07 USD shows potential upside of about 3.21 times the current price if market conditions align by early 2026.
Why it matters
On‑chain AI is an emerging field. Virtuals’ agent‑based model could power next‑generation DeFi automation, gaming bots, and enterprise solutions, driving demand for VIRTUAL.
Conclusion
These five Ethereum‑based altcoins—ENA, LINK, SHIB, ONDO, and VIRTUAL—combine real‑world use cases, strong teams, and active communities. If Ethereum leads the next bull run at the end of 2025 and into 2026, these tokens could see significant gains:
- ENA: ~2.25×
- LINK: ~2.33×
- SHIB: ~2.37×
- ONDO: ~1.54×
- VIRTUAL: ~3.21×
Remember to research each project, never invest more than you can afford to lose, and diversify your holdings to manage risk. Happy investing and get ready for alt season!