Altcoins Struggle to Keep Up as Bitcoin Leads Ahead of Trump’s Crypto Reserve Announcement

The crypto market is displaying cautious optimism as traders await President Donald Trump’s upcoming announcement on a proposed U.S. crypto strategic reserve.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick stated that Trump is expected to detail the initiative at Friday’s White House crypto summit, with bitcoin (BTC) taking center stage. However, while Trump previously mentioned that other cryptocurrencies like XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA) would also be considered, market movements suggest muted expectations for these altcoins.

Bitcoin has rebounded to $91,000—just 4.5% shy of its Sunday high of $95,000, which was fueled by initial reports of the reserve. Meanwhile, XRP remains 17% below its peak, trading at $2.57, while ADA and SOL lag even further, down 27% and 20% from their respective Sunday highs, according to TradingView data.

The lackluster performance of these altcoins implies that investors are skeptical about their inclusion in the reserve or their overall significance in Trump’s plan. Some market watchers believe that the initial mention of these tokens may have been more about gaining broader support rather than a serious commitment to their adoption.

At the same time, questions remain about the feasibility of a Bitcoin-focused reserve.

“There’s a lot of political momentum behind the idea of a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve (BSR), but the reality is that global financial institutions, including the IMF, have historically discouraged sovereign BTC holdings,” said Jeff Park, head of alpha strategies at Bitwise Asset Management, in a post on X.

Park cautioned that while the discussion around a BSR is a positive step, real progress will depend on broader geopolitical shifts. “If the IMF changes its stance, that’s the signal to watch. Until then, this remains a long-term narrative rather than an immediate catalyst,” he noted.

For now, Bitcoin continues to lead, while altcoins struggle to gain the same level of investor confidence.