As the crypto market continues to move sideways and shows signs of uncertainty, many investors are wondering which altcoins could take the lead when the next big altcoin season hits—possibly as early as 2026. Market analyst Sam Daodu recently shared a detailed outlook on three major cryptocurrencies: XRP, Ethereum (ETH), and Solana (SOL), highlighting their growth potential and the risks to watch out for.

**What Could Drive the Next Altcoin Boom?**

Currently, Bitcoin dominates about 59% of the crypto market, while the Altcoin Season Index is at 55. This suggests that altcoins may soon gain more attention, similar to what happened during previous crypto cycles in 2016–2017 and 2020–2021. If history repeats itself, this could be a huge opportunity for altcoins like XRP, ETH, and SOL.

**XRP Price Forecast: Could It Hit $8?**

XRP has the potential to climb to a price range between $6 and $8 if key factors line up. This includes strong inflows into exchange-traded funds (ETFs)—over $400 million per month—and continued growth of RippleNet’s use in international banking. However, if things move more slowly, XRP could hover around $2.50 to $3.50. On the downside, if ETF demand drops or if there are new regulatory issues, XRP could fall below $1.50.

**Ethereum (ETH) Could Reach $18,000**

Ethereum also has a bullish outlook. If Layer 2 solutions gain more users and ETF investments pick up again, ETH might rise to between $12,000 and $18,000. Even in a more stable market, Ethereum could still trade between $5,000 and $9,000 thanks to staking rewards and growing interest in DeFi (decentralized finance). But there are risks—if ETH struggles with scalability or faces stricter regulations, its price could drop below $2,500.

**Solana (SOL) May Soar to $800**

Solana stands out for its speed and low fees. With transaction times as fast as 150 milliseconds and growing interest in building apps on the platform, SOL could reach between $500 and $800. If things go more steadily, it might stay between $200 and $350. However, if Solana experiences more network outages or sees tougher competition from other blockchains, it could fall below $100.

**What AI Predicts for These Coins**

Artificial intelligence models also have predictions for XRP, ETH, and SOL:

– **XRP**: ChatGPT sees XRP between $0.80 and $3.00, while Grok is more optimistic with a forecast of $1.50 to $6.00.
– **Ethereum (ETH)**: ChatGPT predicts a price range of $3,000 to $9,000. Gemini AI projects ETH could reach as high as $18,000 with increased tokenization.
– **Solana (SOL)**: ChatGPT estimates SOL could trade between $120 and $350. Gemini gives a higher range of $300 to $800 based on rising app development.

**Current Prices**

At the time of writing:

– XRP is trading at around $1.93, down 2% in the last 24 hours.
– ETH is priced near $2,952.
– SOL is at about $128.

All three coins have seen minor declines recently but remain under close watch by investors anticipating major market moves in the future.

**Key Takeaways**

– XRP, Ethereum, and Solana could lead the next altcoin rally.
– Market conditions like ETF inflows, DeFi growth, and platform adoption will play a big role.
– AI tools offer varied but mostly bullish price predictions.
– Risks include regulatory changes, scalability issues, and network reliability.

Crypto investors should keep an eye on these developments as 2026 approaches—a potential breakout year for altcoins.