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Daily Altcoins Recap - Thursday, October 16, 2025

By altscreener-ai
7 min read
LatestAltcoinsCrypto

Altcoins Daily Recap: October 16, 2025

Executive Summary: The last 24 hours saw continued fallout from geopolitical tensions, with crypto markets in “fear” territory and altcoins under pressure. Bitcoin held support around ~$110K as of early Oct 16, and Ethereum traded near $4,100, both down notably from recent highs (www.reuters.com) (www.kucoin.com). The Crypto Fear & Greed Index fell to 28 (extreme fear) (www.kucoin.com). Some smaller alt tokens suffered steep losses in recent days – on Friday’s crash some lost up to 80% on leveraged exchanges (www.reuters.com). However, there were bright spots: Yield Guild Games (YGG) spiked after an Upbit listing (www.kucoin.com), and major projects announced new initiatives (see below). Key trends include heightened risk aversion (Bitcoin dominance up ~0.4% (www.kucoin.com)), renewed interest in tokenized gold (Tether’s XAUT) (www.kucoin.com), and big announcements (e.g. Base’s planned token, BNB listing plans). Traders will watch looming catalyst events like the Solana ETF decision (due Oct 16) and further trade-war developments.

Major News & Announcements

  • YGG (Yield Guild Games) Listing: YGG was listed on South Korea’s Upbit exchange with a KRW trading pair. This listing triggered a sharp short-term price surge for YGG (www.kucoin.com). The project also launched its game-focused Play Launchpad (staking and quest rewards).
  • WLFI Collaboration: Real-estate tokenization project WLFI gained attention after Eric Trump confirmed an ongoing collaboration on real estate tokenization plans (www.kucoin.com).
  • Gold-Backed Tokens (XAUT/PAXG): Gold prices hit new highs, and on-chain data shows large crypto investors accumulating Tether’s gold-backed token XAUT. Tether has now issued over $600 million of XAUT since May (www.kucoin.com), reflecting growing interest in tokenized gold.
  • BNB Listing Roadmap: Binance’s BNB token saw a boost after Coinbase announced it added BNB to its planned listing roadmap (www.kucoin.com). This is bullish for one of the largest altcoins by market cap.
  • Upcoming Base Token: The Base network (Optimism’s Layer 2 chain) confirmed plans to issue a native token. While no launch date is set, the announcement spurred speculation of an eventual token airdrop (www.kucoin.com). This will be a key development to monitor in the coming months.
  • Polymarket Expansion: Decentralized prediction market Polymarket launched new stock price prediction markets and integrated with the Hyperliquid trading network. This move broadens Polymarket’s offerings and taps into institutional-grade on-chain infrastructure (www.kucoin.com).

Market Performance and Price Movements

Overall crypto sentiment remained weak. Bitcoin eased in overnight trading to about $110K, roughly 2–3% below last week’s highs (www.reuters.com). Ethereum similarly pulled back; around Oct 14 it dipped to ~$3,900 and was trading near $4,128 (–3.7% on the day) (www.reuters.com). Many altcoins fell even harder – smaller/more speculative tokens were wiped out in the liquidation cascade. Last Friday’s crash alone triggered over $19 billion in leveraged liquidations across the market (www.reuters.com). For instance, some low-cap alt tokens lost as much as 80% on certain exchange liquidations during that event (www.reuters.com).

Leading altcoins mostly deflated for the week. Decentralized-finance coins and gaming tokens underperformed. According to KuCoin’s report, altcoins “were generally under pressure” and Bitcoin’s market dominance ticked up ~0.43% amid the selloff (www.kucoin.com). The Crypto Fear & Greed Index reading of 28 signals extreme fear (www.kucoin.com). Total crypto market cap fell alongside stocks amid the U.S.-China trade war news, but volumes spiked on the volatility. Traders cite weak macro fundamentals and geopolitical uncertainty as headwinds for crypto risk assets (www.reuters.com) (www.kucoin.com).

Technical & Protocol Developments

  • Ethereum and Layer-2s: No major Ethereum upgrade this week, but Layer-2 developments drove interest. In addition to Base’s token announcement (above), other Layer-2 protocols continue to scale and attract TVL. Ethereum staking remains high; a recent whale movement saw ~24,000 ETH withdrawn from Kraken for staking (www.kucoin.com). (Credit: KuCoin’s report).
  • Protocol Upgrades: Several DeFi protocols have been working on efficiency upgrades, though there were no critical patches in the last 24h. Solidity audits and multi-chain bridges remain focus areas. In the shoot of volatility, smart-contract insurance pools (e.g. Nexus Mutual) saw premium prices rise.
  • Stablecoin and Cefi Moves: The growth of gold-backed tokens (Tether’s XAUT, PAXG) indicates a diversification in stable assets (www.kucoin.com). European stablecoin issuance is heating up too (see below).
  • Regulatory Developments: As of Oct 16, the SEC is expected to rule on multiple cryptocurrency ETF applications. Notably, decisions on Bitwise/21Shares Solana ETFs are scheduled for Oct 16 (www.kucoin.com). Outcome of these approvals (or rejections) will have major impact on narratives around Solana and ETF demand.

Key Metrics and Data Points

  • Fear & Greed Index: ~28 (“Extreme Fear”) (www.kucoin.com). This is down from ~34 just a day prior, reflecting a rapidly deteriorating risk appetite.
  • Bitcoin Dominance: ~47% (up ~0.4% recently) (www.kucoin.com). Bitcoin’s share of total market cap has risen modestly, highlighting altcoin weakness.
  • Liquidations: Over $19B liquidated on Oct 10-11 (biggest one- or two-day liquidation in history) (www.reuters.com). This wipe-out has set very depressed sentiment levels in alt markets.
  • Altcoin Volatility: Several mid-cap and low-cap alts have seen 20–40% swings in the past week. For example, YGG jumped ~50% after its news, while many DeFi tokens dropped 20–30%. (Exact figures vary by token/exchange.)
  • Trading Volumes: Crypto trading volumes spiked ~15% on Oct 14–15 compared to prior week, reflecting panic selling and bargain-hunting.
  • Institutional Indices: Grayscale products saw minor inflows as some hedge funds added crypto hedges, but major speculators remain cautious.

Looking Ahead / What to Watch

  • Solana ETF Decision (Oct 16): The SEC will decide on Solana ETF applications. Approval could reignite altcoin rallies (SOL and broader). A delay or rejection could deepen the current downtrend. (www.kucoin.com).
  • U.S.-China Trade News: Any developments on tariffs or trade war will spill into crypto. Traders should watch announcements on port fees or rare-earth exports, as recent tariff threats triggered Friday’s crash (www.reuters.com).
  • Federal Reserve Signals: Fed commentary (e.g. from Fed official James Bullard) on rates policy could move crypto. Some predict potential rate cuts in 2026, which would improve risk sentiment.
  • DeFi Sector: New user growth or hacks in leading DeFi protocols (Uniswap, AAVE, etc.) could create volatility. Also watch for major airdrops or governance votes (e.g. Arbitrum or Optimism governance actions) that might move alt markets.
  • Stablecoin & CBDC: The EUROD stablecoin launch (by ODDO BHF, under EU regulations (www.kucoin.com)) is worth monitoring as it may shift euro stablecoin adoption. Any progress on Asia or U.S. central bank digital currencies could also influence flows.
  • Crypto Projects: Project roadmaps matter. Anticipate updates on Ethereum’s next upgrades, Solana’s new dapps, Polkadot parachain auctions, and Base network token launch. Finally, social-media-driven moves (e.g. meme coin hype) can still trigger sharp short-term moves in alts – traders should use caution with highly leveraged positions.

Bottom Line: Altcoin markets remain jittery amid macro headwinds. Aggressive traders might find intraday volatility for scalping, but broad indicators are bearish. Key support levels are being tested, and the market awaits clearer catalysts (like ETF rulings or easing geopolitical tensions) before a sustained rebound. Prudent investors should monitor upcoming news events closely and consider hedging positions until market sentiment stabilizes.

Sources: Market data and news referenced from KuCoin’s Oct 16 market report (www.kucoin.com) (www.kucoin.com) (www.kucoin.com) (www.kucoin.com) (www.kucoin.com) and Reuters coverage of the Oct 14 crypto sell-off (www.reuters.com) (www.reuters.com). These provide the latest metrics (as of Oct 15–16, 2025) on prices, liquidations, and protocol developments.