An analyst known as The Crypto Dog suggests that layer-1 altcoins, such as NEAR and INJ, may attract more attention than Ethereum, considering them as potential rivals. The focus is particularly on NEAR, given its involvement with the smart contract protocol Near. The analyst anticipates a potential move from NEAR in the near future, potentially surpassing the $9 milestone and sustaining it. However, NEAR is currently facing resistance at a diagonal level, prompting the community to monitor its progress closely.

INJ, on the other hand, is experiencing a slight decrease, currently trading at $35.18, with a support level around $30. The next milestone for INJ is $40, expected to be reached by the end of the year, which could reignite interest in the token. Both NEAR and INJ are forecasted to experience a bullish trend this year, with speculation that INJ will follow suit and enhance the Injective ecosystem.

The upcoming week is crucial for both NEAR and INJ, as ongoing price corrections could signal a clearer direction for these altcoins. Additionally, the Solana community's interest in SOL is contributing to increased attention towards altcoins. SOL recently reached a high of $182 before retracing to $177.03, indicating a 2.10% decline in the past 24 hours but still showing overall growth in the last 30 days.

Bitcoin's trajectory is also influencing the market trend, with BTC retracing from its all-time high (ATH) but still demonstrating a bullish trajectory, currently trading around $69,800. The upcoming halving event could further drive BTC's value and draw attention to the cryptocurrency market as a whole.

Altcoins are gaining attention due to their accumulation potential and the opportunity for long-term profits, prompting traders to diversify their portfolios beyond BTC and ETH. Additionally, meme coins and AI tokens are emerging as notable contenders in the trading landscape, adding further diversity to the market.