So I keep seeing people ask me what a bull run actually is and how to tell when one's actually starting vs just getting hyped up. Let me break this down because it's honestly more nuanced than just 'price go up.'

A bull run isn't just prices climbing. It's when the whole market psychology shifts. You get momentum, optimism takes over, buyers are in control, and assets start moving hard. Like remember 2021 when BTC went from $10k to $60k? Altcoins were doing 5x, 10x moves. That's the energy we're talking about.

But here's the thing - spotting when a bull run is actually forming? That's where most people mess up.

First thing I look for is price action that actually holds. Higher highs, higher lows. Assets break through old resistance levels and don't immediately crash back. That's different from a quick pump and dump.

Then volume. When more people are actually buying and exchange volumes spike while prices are rising, that's real momentum. Not just noise.

Bitcoin usually leads the move first. Once BTC gets going, capital flows into Ethereum, then spreads to altcoins. People call this altcoin season. The rotation matters.

I also watch sentiment flip. The Crypto Fear & Greed Index goes from red (fear) to green (greed). That psychological shift is real. Then you'll start seeing it everywhere - crypto trending on social media, people who never talk about crypto suddenly asking about it, news outlets covering BTC constantly. That FOMO wave is intense.

On the technical side, watch for Bitcoin breaking long-term resistance, moving averages like the 200-day turning bullish, and on-chain activity picking up. More wallets moving, more transactions happening. That tells you real money is flowing in.

Here's my warning though - a bull run can feel like it'll never stop. Until it does. Don't confuse a pump with an actual trend. Don't chase based on hype alone. Have an exit plan. Protect your capital.

Have you caught a bull run early before or totally missed one? Curious what you noticed that tipped you off.