Altcoins have underperformed Bitcoin for the fourth consecutive year, marking one of the longest relative bear markets for the sector, according to analyst Benjamin Cowen. Data from the TOTAL3 market cap, which tracks all altcoins excluding Bitcoin and Ethereum, shows each yearly candle since 2022 has closed red against Bitcoin. This trend continued at the end of 2025, indicating consistent value loss relative to Bitcoin. Despite short-term gains in dollar terms, altcoins have failed to match Bitcoin's performance, contributing to Bitcoin's elevated dominance, currently at 59.58%. The CoinMarketCap Altcoin Season Index reflects this underperformance, with Bitcoin outperforming 80% of the top 100 crypto assets by market cap over the last 90 days. As Bitcoin trades above $87,000, some in the crypto community speculate a potential rotation into altcoins, while others remain skeptical of their long-term performance against Bitcoin.