Veteran trader Peter Brandt, the analyst who famously called Bitcoin’s January 2018 collapse, says Stellar Lumens (XLM) is showing “incredible potential” and could be the next major altcoin to see explosive price action — adding fuel to a growing narrative that altcoin season has officially arrived in the summer of 2020.
Brandt’s bullish call on XLM comes as the broader altcoin market shows increasing strength against Bitcoin, with Ethereum breaking out against BTC and multiple mid-cap tokens posting significant gains. The timing aligns with what analysts are calling the early stages of a capital rotation from Bitcoin into alternative cryptocurrencies.
TL;DR
- Peter Brandt identifies XLM as having “incredible potential” based on chart pattern analysis
- Stellar Lumens has gained nearly 50% since late June, trading at $0.095
- Brandt targets ETH/BTC ratio at 0.03276, predicting most altcoins will outpace Bitcoin
- Chainlink enters top 10 with 38.59% weekly gain as DeFi Summer accelerates
- Binance CEO CZ warns only projects with real utility will thrive in the next alt season
Brandt’s Bullish XLM Thesis
Brandt shared a chart analysis on Twitter highlighting a technical formation in XLM’s price action that he describes as exceptionally promising. The veteran trader, who has over four decades of experience in commodity and currency markets, responded to a follower’s chart with: “Great chart. Thanks for posting this. Incredible potential with the pattern.”
Stellar Lumens, currently ranked 14th by market capitalization, trades at approximately $0.095 — up nearly 50% from its late June levels. The payment-focused cryptocurrency, which serves as a rival to Ripple’s XRP, aims to connect banks, financial institutions, and individuals for fast cross-border transactions. The recent price surge suggests growing market confidence in Stellar’s utility proposition.
Ethereum Breakout Against Bitcoin
Beyond his XLM call, Brandt identifies a significant breakout in the ETH/BTC trading pair, setting a target of 0.03276. This metric is closely watched by traders as a barometer of altcoin strength relative to Bitcoin. When Ethereum gains on Bitcoin, it typically signals broader risk appetite across the altcoin market.
Ethereum currently trades at $233.64 with a market capitalization of $26.1 billion. The network’s growing dominance in decentralized finance — with total value locked surging past $2 billion — provides fundamental support for ETH’s outperformance against BTC.
Chainlink’s Historic Rally
Perhaps the most dramatic altcoin story of mid-July 2020 is Chainlink (LINK). The oracle network has surged into the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap at $8.34, with a staggering 38.59% seven-day gain. LINK’s rally is driven by the explosive growth of DeFi protocols that rely on Chainlink’s price feeds to function.
The DeFi ecosystem’s reliance on Chainlink creates a powerful feedback loop: as more capital flows into decentralized lending, trading, and yield farming platforms, demand for LINK tokens increases, driving price appreciation that further validates the DeFi narrative.
Altcoin Season: Real or Premature?
Crypto YouTuber Nicholas Merten declared that altcoin season has officially arrived after the collective altcoin market broke a key resistance level against Bitcoin. The Total2 index — which tracks the market cap of all cryptocurrencies excluding Bitcoin — shows a clear breakout pattern in mid-July.
However, not everyone is convinced the rising tide will lift all boats. Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao cautioned that the next altcoin season will be different from previous cycles, rewarding only projects with genuine development progress and real-world use cases. “Not all alts will pump during the next alt season,” CZ tweeted. “If a project has been around for 3 years but not much to show for, then… A few that have consistently pushed development will thrive.”
Market Context: Bitcoin Stable Near $9,100
Bitcoin trades at $9,132 as the broader cryptocurrency market digests the fallout from the unprecedented Twitter hack that compromised accounts of major public figures. Despite the negative headlines, BTC has maintained its support levels, suggesting that the market’s structural foundation remains intact. The total cryptocurrency market capitalization stands at approximately $275 billion.
The stability in Bitcoin’s price, combined with altcoin momentum, creates an environment where traders are increasingly comfortable rotating capital into higher-risk, higher-reward positions in the altcoin market.
Why This Matters
The convergence of Peter Brandt’s technical analysis, Ethereum’s breakout against Bitcoin, and Chainlink’s surge into the top 10 suggests a meaningful shift in crypto market dynamics during July 2020. Unlike previous altcoin seasons driven primarily by speculation, the current rotation is backed by fundamental developments in DeFi, cross-border payments, and oracle infrastructure. For investors, the message from both technical analysts and industry leaders is clear: fundamentals matter more than ever, and the projects building real utility are the ones positioned to benefit from the capital flowing into altcoins.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risk. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.
Brandt calling XLM at 0.095 after it already did 50 percent is not a prediction its chase trading. the ship sailed before he tweeted
chart_skeptic_ brandt called the jan 2018 crash before it happened though. his track record on macro calls is better than most CT influencers
ETH/BTC ratio at 0.03276 was the real signal nobody mentions. capital rotation into alts started before Brandt posted the XLM chart
Brandt targeting ETH/BTC at 0.03276 was a well timed call. ETH ratio peaked around 0.085 later that cycle. the alt rotation thesis played out perfectly
Brandt calling XLM at $0.095 with incredible potential aged… interestingly. wonder where it is now
XLM at $0.29 right now. so about 3x from brandt call but it took 5+ years and a full bear market to get there. not exactly a trade anyone held
3x from Brandt call over 5 years is a hold nobody actually executed. XLM went to zero interest territory multiple times between 2020 and 2025
chart_monk_ 3x over 5 years with multiple drawdowns to 3 cents. brandt called the direction right but nobody held that bag through 2022
XLM sitting at $0.41 now. Brandt was early but not wrong, just 5 years early on that call
xlm sitting at $0.41 now. brandt was early but not wrong, just 5 years early on that call. 3x return is nothing to sneeze at
that ETH/BTC target of 0.03276 was actually a solid call for the time. DeFi summer was just getting started
brandt targeting eth/btc at 0.03276 was actually solid. that ratio peaked around 0.085 later. the alt rotation thesis played out perfectly
LINK entering top 10 with a 38% weekly gain. those were the days. riding that oracle wave was insane
LINK going from sub $5 to top 10 in weeks. the oracle thesis played out faster than anyone expected
LINK from sub $5 to top 10 in weeks was the defi summer trade. oracle tokens were the picks and shovels of the 2020 yield farming explosion
link from sub $5 to top 10 in weeks was the defi summer trade. oracle tokens were the picks and shovels of that yield farming explosion
LINK at $7 in june 2020 to $20 by august was the actual trade. oracle thesis plus defi summer was the perfect setup
Diego Fuentes LINK at $7 to $20 in weeks was the actual generational trade. XLM was a sideshow that never really delivered on the pump
brandt got the ETH/BTC ratio call right at 0.03276 but picked XLM over LINK. one good macro call and one bad micro call same tweet
3x from brandt call over 5 years is a hold nobody actually executed. timing was everything in that trade
alt_trader_max nobody held XLM from 0.095 to 0.41 straight. it went to 3 cents twice in between. the 3x is a mirage
Brandt was right about ETH/BTC ratio rotation. wrong about XLM being the beneficiary. LINK ate everyones lunch that summer
brandt called XLM but LINK was the actual play. oracle tokens were the picks and shovels of defi summer
link_maxi_2018 the ETH/BTC ratio call at 0.03276 was legit though. brandt got the rotation right just picked the wrong horse
Brandt calling XLM at $0.095 with a 50 percent rally already behind it. the man called the 2018 top and people still doubt him. ETH/BTC ratio at 0.03276 was the real signal here
Henrik B. brandt is right like 40 percent of the time on individual calls but his macro calls are scary accurate. ETH breakout against BTC in mid 2020 was the de fi summer trigger nobody saw coming
Chainlink entering top 10 with a 38 percent weekly gain while XLM was getting hyped on patterns. fundamentals vs chart reading as usual. LINK had actual adoption and revenue