The crypto bear market seems to be taking form. Bitcoin and Ethereum remain under pressure, with Bitcoin down nearly 24% year-to-date and about 22% year-on-year, while Ethereum has fallen roughly 34% YTD and over 30% across the same period. The broader market continues to reflect weak sentiment.

Yet, BeInCrypto analysts have identified three altcoins that are still posting strong gains in the year-to-date and year-over-year periods, signaling demand and technical structures that appear disconnected from the ongoing bear market.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH)

The crypto bear market has not stopped Bitcoin Cash (BCH) from showing unusual strength. While many altcoins struggle, BCH remains one of the strongest altcoins, holding large yearly gains. Bitcoin Cash is still up nearly 80% year-on-year, showing that demand has stayed intact even as the broader crypto bear market continues.

This strength is now clearly visible in whale behavior. The largest Bitcoin Cash holders, wallets holding between 100,000 and 1 million BCH, increased their holdings from 4.31 million BCH on February 16 to 4.36 million BCH recently.

This means whales added 50,000 BCH, worth about $28.5 million at the current price. Whale accumulation during a crypto bear market often signals confidence, as these investors typically buy when they expect higher prices ahead.

This optimism connects directly with Bitcoin Cash’s price chart. BCH is currently forming an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern, a bullish pattern that often precedes a breakout.

This pattern shows that selling pressure is fading and buyers are slowly gaining control. BCH attempted a breakout near $575 but faced some selling pressure. However, continued whale buying suggests this resistance may weaken over time.

A confirmed breakout requires a daily close above $575. If that happens, BCH could rally toward $793 and potentially $800, completing the pattern’s nearly 40% upside target. These levels also align with Fibonacci resistance zones, strengthening the bullish case.

However, risks still exist. The bullish structure weakens if BCH falls below $538, because that would show buyers losing control. Full invalidation happens only if the BCH price drops under $422, which would break the entire pattern.

For now, Bitcoin Cash stands out as one of the rare altcoins defying the bear market, supported by both whale accumulation and a bullish technical structure.

Morpho (MORPHO)

Among the altcoins defying the bear market, Morpho stands out because of its strong fundamentals and bullish price structure.

Morpho is the governance token of a decentralized lending platform that allows users to lend and borrow crypto more efficiently. Its infrastructure, called Morpho Blue, improves capital efficiency by directly matching lenders and borrowers, offering better yields and lower borrowing costs.

This strong foundation is now attracting institutional attention. On February 13, 2026, Apollo Global Management, which oversees nearly $940 billion in assets, committed to acquiring up to 90 million MORPHO tokens, or about 9% of the total supply, over time. This creates steady buying pressure and validates Morpho’s role in institutional decentralized finance.

This fundamental optimism is also visible on the price chart. Since February 6, MORPHO has already rallied more than 72%, forming the pole of a classic bullish continuation pattern called a pole-and-flag.

The current consolidation could form the flag, which is a normal pause before another potential move higher.

At the same time, a golden crossover is approaching. This happens when the 50-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA), which tracks the medium-term price trend, moves above the 200-period EMA, which tracks the long-term trend. This signal often confirms the start of a sustained uptrend.

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For now, MORPHO remains strong as long as the consolidation range holds above $1.48. However, the structure weakens below $1.34, where the 200-period EMA sits.

However, a confirmed breakout above $1.63 could trigger another 72% rally toward $2.85, reinforcing Morpho’s position among altcoins defying weakness during the crypto bear market.

Decred (DCR)

After Bitcoin Cash and Morpho, Decred has emerged as another altcoin quietly showing unusual strength. The token is up 93% year-on-year and 61% year-to-date, making it the strongest performer in this group of strong altcoins. Even in the past 24 hours, Decred has gained nearly 10%, highlighting persistent demand.

Part of this strength comes from its recent treasury upgrade, which improved how the network funds its own growth and reinforced long-term investor confidence.

However, the chart structure explains why this strength may not be over yet.

Decred is currently trading inside an ascending channel. It is a bullish structure in which the price moves between two rising parallel trendlines.

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This pattern usually signals steady accumulation and controlled upward momentum. At the same time, a cup pattern is forming within this channel, creating what appears to be two bullish patterns folded into one structure.

This dual formation significantly strengthens the outlook. Based on the channel and cup projection, Decred could see nearly 37% upside. One major target sits near $39.76, while the extended target aligns near $45.33 if momentum continues.

In the short term, the structure remains healthy as long as Decred holds above $23.66. This level acts as the lower support inside the channel.

A move above $28.79 would signal growing strength and increase the chances of a breakout toward $32.98. It is a key zone that aligns with the channel’s upper trendline. Once this level breaks, the larger upside projection becomes more likely.

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However, a drop below $22.01 would weaken the pattern and shift the structure from bullish to neutral. For now, Decred’s rare combination of strong performance and a layered bullish chart setup shows why it continues to stand out amid most altcoins’ struggles.