November hit crypto holders hard. Bitcoin dropped below $100,000. Ethereum turned negative for 2025. Fear gripped the market.
But some analysts see opportunity hiding in the chaos. They’re sharing specific strategies for timing altcoin entries when everyone else is panicking. Here’s what the pros recommend.
Skip the Falling Knives. Wait for Reversals
Trading analyst IncomeSharks has clear advice. Stop trying to catch assets mid-collapse.
Instead, watch for charts showing early strength. Look for altcoins breaking long-term downtrends. Or find coins breaking out of year-long On-Balance Volume (OBV) trendlines.
“Looking for a chart that has already started strength, broken a downtrend, or broken out of a year-long OBV trendline makes more sense than trying to knife catch assets breaking support,” IncomeSharks explained.
The analyst pointed to Internet Computer (ICP) as one example. That altcoin has shown surprising resilience. In fact, it seems to perform better when broader markets get worse.
This approach requires patience. But it dramatically improves your odds compared to buying every dip that keeps dipping.
Follow the Hot Narratives
Investor Lark Davis highlights an important pattern. Even in bearish markets, specific sectors rally on their own.
Right now, privacy coins and zero-knowledge (ZK) projects are outperforming. The privacy coins market cap recently pushed past $24 billion.
Davis specifically mentioned Zcash (ZEC) and Dash (DASH) as strong plays. He also flagged Litecoin (LTC) as a potential “catch-up trade” given its MimbleWimble privacy upgrade and active ETF listing efforts.
CoinGecko data backs this trend. “Privacy” and “Zero Knowledge (ZK)” rank among the top six trending categories globally. They’re joined by Layer-0, Governance, and Masternodes.
So ignore the broad market noise. Focus on sectors showing actual momentum. That’s where money is moving right now.
Wait for Bitcoin to Lead First
Market analyst Benjamin Cowen takes a more cautious stance. He warns that altcoin-to-Bitcoin (ALT/BTC) pairs could drop another 30% before recovering.
“There hasn’t been a great reason for holding altcoins. The only way ALTs rally against BTC is if BTC rallies to new highs first,” Cowen said.
His recommendation? Hold Bitcoin for now. Wait until it reaches new all-time highs. Then assess whether rotation into altcoins makes sense.
This strategy acknowledges a hard truth. Altcoins typically don’t lead bull runs. They follow Bitcoin’s momentum. So jumping into alts before BTC establishes strength often means catching falling assets.
Plus, Bitcoin offers better risk-reward during uncertain periods. It tends to hold value better than smaller-cap alternatives when fear dominates.
The Smart Play for Late 2025
November’s fear could set up selective opportunities. But timing and trend confirmation matter more than ever.
Investors should avoid panic buying every dip. Instead, wait for clear technical signals like downtrend breaks or OBV reversals. Watch for sectors showing independent strength like privacy and ZK coins. Consider holding Bitcoin until it leads convincingly higher.
Most importantly, stay disciplined. Markets reward patience during periods of fear. The altcoins that recover first often show strength while others still fall.
So focus on what’s working, not what’s breaking support. Follow sector momentum, not broad sentiment. Let Bitcoin lead before rotating into alts.
Those three principles could turn November’s turbulence into opportunity for traders who resist the urge to catch every falling knife.