3 Top Altcoins Eyeing Q1 2026 Gains: Chainlink, Litecoin, and Zcash

At least three altcoins are hinting at sharp rebounds in Q1 2026 as the broader crypto market looks poised to close this year at a loss. These tokens are Chainlink (LINK), Litecoin (LTC), and Zcash (ZEC).

Let’s examine their technical setups in detail.

LINK Technical Analysis: Triangle Setup Favors 90% Rebound

Chainlink will likely finish 2025 coiled within a long-term compression structure, with the price consolidating near a rising trendline that has repeatedly acted as support over the past two years.

On the weekly chart, LINK is defending the $12-14 zone while volatility tightens between an ascending support line and a descending cycle-top resistance, a setup that often precedes directional expansion.

Weekly relative strength index (RSI) is hovering near long-standing support around the mid-30s, a level that has historically aligned with trendline bounces since mid-2024.

As long as LINK holds above its rising base, the risk-reward favors upside continuation. A successful rebound places the $23-24 region firmly in focus, up 90% from the current price levels.

That zone marks both a key Fibonacci resistance and the upper boundary of the broader triangle, making it the primary upside target to watch in early 2026.

Chainlink’s MVRV Z-Score Signals Undervaluation Risk-Reward Shift

On-chain data adds a supportive layer to Chainlink’s technical setup.

LINK’s MVRV Z-Score has slipped back into the green zone, an area historically associated with undervaluation rather than cycle tops. The metric compares LINK’s market value with its realized value, effectively measuring whether the price is running ahead of actual capital inflows.

When the Z-Score trends deeply negative, it has often coincided with long-term accumulation phases rather than sustained downside.

The indicator does not time exact bottoms, but its current position suggests selling pressure may be increasingly exhausted, reinforcing the case for a stabilization phase and a potential recovery toward the $23-24 resistance zone.

LTC Technical Analysis: Channel Support Keeps $170–$180 in Play

Litecoin will likely close 2025 testing the lower boundary of its long-term ascending channel, a level that has consistently acted as an accumulation zone since the 2022 bear-market low.

Price is consolidating around the $75–$80 area, where rising channel support meets prior demand, suggesting downside pressure may be fading rather than accelerating.

Momentum indicators support this view. Weekly RSI is hovering near the mid-30s, a region that has historically functioned as RSI support during corrective phases, often preceding relief rallies rather than breakdowns.

From a structural perspective, LTC remains in a broader uptrend as long as it holds above channel support.

A successful bounce would likely trigger a mean-reversion move toward the upper boundary of the channel, which aligns closely with the 0.382 Fibonacci retracement near $170–$180.

That zone has capped several recovery attempts in recent years, making it the primary upside level to watch if buyers regain control heading into early 2026.

Litecoin’s On-Chain Metric Projects $80-100 in Q1 2026

Litecoin’s Pi Cycle Top indicator adds weight to the rebound thesis.

Historically, LTC has tended to gravitate back toward its 111-day simple moving average after extended periods of underperformance below it, often producing sharp relief rallies rather than slow grind-ups.

At present, price is trading well beneath the 111D SMA near $98–$100, creating a clear mean-reversion gap. In prior cycles, similar deviations preceded swift upside moves as momentum normalized and sidelined buyers stepped back in.

ZEC Technical Analysis: Ascending Triangle Signals $700 Price in Q1 2026

Zcash is consolidating inside a textbook ascending triangle following its explosive Q4 rally, suggesting the market is digesting gains rather than rolling over.

Price continues to post higher lows, supported by rising short- and medium-term EMAs, while horizontal resistance near the $470–$480 zone caps the structure. This pattern typically reflects sustained demand absorbing supply at a fixed level.

Daily RSI is holding above the midline, signalling bullish control despite recent consolidation.

If ZEC confirms a breakout above triangle resistance, the setup opens the door for a continuation move toward the $700–$720 region in Q1 2026, aligned with the prior measured move projection.