Bitcoin Back to $83,000 but Why Are Ethereum, Solana, XRP Weak?

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) continues to outperform altcoins like Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), XRP (CRYPTO: XRP), which have dropped between 2% and 5% over the past 24 hours.

Only 11 of 66 large-cap altcoins finished last week higher, while Bitcoin dominance climbed toward 59.5%.

On the other hand, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded $679 million in weekly outflows, their largest since late June, while Ethereum ETFs shed $542 million.

Why BTC Dominance Rises As Altcoins Struggle

Prominent crypto analyst Benjamin Cowen warned that Bitcoin dominance (BTC.D) may continue climbing as monetary policy moves toward a more restrictive stance. It could eventually revisit its 2025 highs before a sustained decline.

Unlike the previous cycle, he does not expect BTC.D to rise indefinitely.

Cowen pointed to rising interest rates and strengthening U.S. dollar as major headwinds for altcoins, suggesting that capital could increasingly favor Bitcoin.

He believes eventual interest rate cuts and a weaker dollar could trigger renewed strength in altcoin-to-Bitcoin trading pairs, potentially pushing BTC.D towards the low-50% or even upper-40% range.

Cowen expects altcoins to continue losing ground against Bitcoin until monetary conditions become more accommodative, potentially a year or two away.