Author
Hongji Feng
Author
Hongji Feng
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Altcoin season has returned to trading desks, though its form in late August looks different from past cycles. Liquidity is still concentrated, but pockets of activity show investors shifting into tokens with distinct functions.
Beyond price moves, three projects—Hyperliquid, VeChain, and Algorand—show how utility, adoption, and design can all carry weight during altseason.
Broader conditions remain shaped by Bitcoin dominance above 60%, keeping the index weighted toward majors. Still, rotation into select tokens suggests participants are looking for depth and purpose. Each of these assets captures a different corner of the market: perpetual futures infrastructure, enterprise partnerships, and protocol-level base chains.
Hyperliquid: Perpetuals Meet On-Chain Liquidity
Hyperliquid’s HYPE token is trading near $46 on August 25, with a market value above $15B and 24-hour turnover near $356M. Supply sits at 334M tokens in circulation against a 1B cap. Launched with a focus on derivatives, Hyperliquid has built an on-chain order book for perpetual contracts, drawing users who prefer decentralized markets without sacrificing liquidity.
This model sets it apart from meme-driven tokens. In practice, HYPE sits closer to an exchange utility token, giving holders a share of fee revenue while linking value to the platform’s trading depth. Its July all-time high near $49.86 shows how tightly token movement follows platform usage, rather than sentiment alone.
VeChain: Enterprise Networks and RWA Activity
VeChain (VET) is trading around $0.0259 with a market capitalization near $2.22B and daily turnover above $200M (CoinMarketCap). Circulating supply exceeds 86B, placing it among the larger-float tokens. VeChain built its brand around corporate adoption, focusing on supply chain, product verification, and environmental data tracking.
VeChain Price (Source: CoinMarketCap)
That approach ties directly to the “real-world asset” category, where tokenized data represents proof of sustainability or logistics. The project has partnered with retail and manufacturing companies, building credibility through enterprise pilot programs. In an altcoin season often dominated by meme names, VET stands out for being linked to specific industrial processes rather than community-driven price cycles.
Algorand: Pure Proof-of-Stake and Fixed Supply
Algorand’s ALGO is trading near $0.26, with a market cap of $2.3B and turnover close to $250M over 24 hours according to CoinMarketCap. Circulating supply is about 8.7B against a 10B maximum supply, creating a fixed-cap model uncommon among older protocols.
Algorand emphasizes efficient settlement and has promoted adoption in payments, digital identity, and government-backed pilots.
Several national projects have used the chain to issue bonds or manage registry systems, underlining its role as an institution-friendly blockchain. For traders, ALGO offers a long liquidity history on top exchanges, supporting both retail and programmatic flows during altseason rotations.
What This Mix Shows in a Potential Altcoin Season
Altcoin season is not just a repeat of speculative rallies. Tokens gaining attention often tie directly to real usage: Hyperliquid for derivatives, VeChain for enterprise data, Algorand for fixed-supply settlement networks. Each carries liquidity large enough to trade at scale and has ecosystems that reinforce demand.
Instead of waiting for uniform moves, traders now pick among assets with definable use, steady coverage, and credible adoption. Altseason energy may still be selective, but these three names illustrate the variety of channels where capital rotates.
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