According to Google Trends data, searches for the keyword “altcoin” have reached their highest level since 2021, while interest in “Ethereum” has hit a two-year peak. This surge coincides with a wave of exchange-traded fund (ETF) filings related to altcoins and a growing trend of corporate treasury diversification into digital assets beyond Bitcoin.
Google Trends has recorded similar spikes in the past. In early 2018, after Bitcoin peaked at the end of 2017, retail investor attention quickly shifted to newly launched altcoins through initial coin offerings (ICOs). In early 2021, “altcoin” searches hit record highs once again, fueled by a market-wide rally driven by decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and major coins like Ether, Cardano, and BNB.
Although Google Trends does not predict price movements or provide exact search volumes, it serves as a valuable indicator of when retail interest intensifies.
Altcoin ETFs Gaining Momentum
Institutional demand for altcoins is becoming increasingly evident, with ETF-related activity now expanding beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. In just the first half of 2025, U.S. regulators have received at least 31 applications for altcoin ETFs.
In March, Canary Capital submitted a proposal for a spot SUI ETF, directly tracking the price of the Sui token. Shortly afterward, Cboe BZX requested approval to list the fund, potentially making it the first U.S. spot ETF holding SUI. Meanwhile, Nasdaq also filed the necessary paperwork for 21Shares’ spot SUI ETF, officially triggering the SEC’s review process.
Corporate Treasuries Expanding into Altcoins
Corporate digital asset reserve strategies are also evolving. Ether has become a preferred reserve asset for several firms, including Metaplanet, BitMine, and SharpLink Gaming, collectively holding billions of dollars’ worth of ETH. Many of these companies also stake their ETH to generate additional yield.
The trend is not limited to ETH. Solana is also gaining traction. DeFi Development Corp. currently holds nearly one million SOL, worth around $200 million, and stakes the tokens to earn yield. Upexi increased its holdings to two million SOL in July, with the majority also being staked.
Chainlink has also entered treasury strategies, particularly following the launch of Chainlink Reserve on August 7 — a mechanism that converts usage fees and enterprise payments into tokens to strengthen the network’s long-term sustainability.
Altcoins on the Rise
Data from CoinGecko shows that the altcoin market has been gaining momentum in recent weeks. Ether has surged 30% over the past seven days and 78% year-to-date, currently trading around $4,722 — just shy of its all-time high of $4,878.26 set on November 10, 2021.
Other major altcoins have also posted notable gains over the past week, including XRP (+10%), SOL (+19.3%), SUI (+15%), and LINK (+43%).
