Three Altcoins Surging Amid Exchange Supply Shortages
Over the past month, several altcoins have shown remarkable strength despite widespread market uncertainty. While prices have declined, investors aren’t rushing to sell — instead, many are accumulating. This steady accumulation has driven exchange reserves for certain altcoins to multi-year lows, creating supply scarcity — a key factor that could fuel future price growth. So, which tokens are standing out in this trend?
Ethereum (ETH)
Ethereum continues to prove itself as one of the most sought-after altcoins among both institutional players and retail investors. Notably, ETH’s available supply on exchanges has reached its lowest point in three years. According to data from CryptoQuant, exchange balances dropped to 15.8 million ETH in October.
Meanwhile, staking continues to tighten the circulating supply. Data from Dune reveals that the total amount of staked ETH has climbed steadily for five consecutive years, now approaching 36 million ETH, or roughly 29% of total supply.
Despite negative sentiment throughout October, which briefly pushed ETH below $4,000, the increasing scarcity has strengthened its long-term recovery outlook.
Chainlink (LINK)
Chainlink has also made headlines as exchange reserves dropped to 143.5 million LINK, the lowest since October 2019. Since the beginning of 2025, balances have fallen sharply from over 220 million to 143.5 million LINK — meaning roughly 80 million LINK, or 11% of the circulating supply, has been withdrawn from exchanges this year alone.
A Coinphoton report highlights that LINK is experiencing one of its strongest accumulation phases in years, primarily driven by whale investors. According to Chainlink Reserve, over $11 million worth of LINK has been accumulated since the program launched in August.
Although the reserve’s size remains modest compared to total supply, this accumulation reflects a clear long-term commitment. It has also helped maintain optimism within the LINK community, even after a 25% price drop in October.
Pepe (PEPE)
PEPE — an Ethereum-based meme coin — continues to hold its ground as one of the most liquid meme tokens on the market. Despite shifting investor attention toward privacy coins and DEX derivative tokens, PEPE remains resilient.
Data from Santiment shows that the amount of PEPE held on exchanges has fallen to its lowest level since 2023, with 86.39 trillion PEPE currently on exchanges — about 20% of the circulating supply. This declining supply underscores the persistence and loyalty of PEPE holders.
According to CoinMarketCap, the number of PEPE holders has risen from 369,000 to over 491,000 in 2025 alone. This supply drop — combined with growing holder numbers — shows strong conviction even as PEPE’s price returned to early-year levels.
Investor Defizard noted:
“If you think PEPE isn’t a good investment, think again. Long-term holders aren’t easily shaken — and at these levels, it’s simply too attractive to ignore.”
Conclusion
These altcoins demonstrate that even in a pessimistic market, investors continue to believe in — and accumulate — tokens they view as reliable stores of value. Whether it’s blue-chip assets like Ethereum or community-driven tokens like PEPE, they share three defining traits: resilience through multiple market cycles, strong holder communities, and solid liquidity. Together, these fundamentals form a strong base for long-term growth potential.
