Memecoins & DeFi Surge Over 20% as BONK, CRV, FRAX Overtake Bitcoin in 24-Hour Gains

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Memecoins and DeFi beat Bitcoin as BONK, CRV, FRAX post over 20% gains in 24 hours

Significant Gains in the Crypto Market

Eight distinct digital currencies have experienced remarkable 24-hour increases, with FLOKI leading the charge at 31.78%, followed by CRV at 26.77%, FXS at 22.45%, TOSHI at 20.71%, FARTCOIN at 20.01%, MEW at 17.92%, TRAC at 16.71%, and BONK at 16.36%. This surge comes amidst a market rich in liquidity, fostering a bullish atmosphere.

Market Capitalization and Bitcoin’s Performance

The total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies has exceeded $3.7 trillion, marking a roughly 10% rise over the last week. Bitcoin is currently trading around $118,000, approaching its recent peak of $123,000, while Ethereum remains above $3,400. The market sentiment has shifted positively, with the Fear & Greed Index now indicating a state of “Greed.”

Institutional Interest and Memecoins’ Evolution

There is a noticeable increase in institutional engagement, highlighted by the rising demand for spot Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds (ETFs). In this broader context, memecoins are transforming from mere speculative assets into those with financial integration and utility. Their revival is characterized by structural developments such as perpetual contracts listed on exchanges, increasing revenue from ecosystems, and expanding intellectual property (IP) footprints.

Driving Factors Behind Memecoin Movement

The recent movements of memecoins can be attributed to Bitcoin’s new all-time high and Ethereum’s robust performance, which, coupled with renewed institutional interest and favorable regulatory developments in the U.S., has created a perfect environment for a new altcoin season. As altcoins become more attractive, momentum traders often flock to low-liquidity memecoins to capitalize on anticipated price increases across the market.

FLOKI’s Notable Surge

FLOKI’s impressive 31.78% rise aligns with a perceived technical breakout, surpassing a long-standing descending resistance line and a horizontal ceiling at $0.000110. Technical indicators, including the Relative Strength Index (RSI) above 50 and a positive MACD, support this bullish trend. Wave analysis suggests the commencement of a new bullish cycle. Despite the absence of a specific news trigger, traders viewed FLOKI as a representative of the memecoin sector, buoyed by its overarching fundamentals, which include the Valhalla metaverse and FlokiFi DeFi suite.

BONK’s Institutional Engagement

BONK’s 16.36% advancement is attributed to heightened institutional involvement and ecosystem monetization. Recent filings with the U.S. SEC reveal that REX-Osprey and Tuttle are pursuing BONK ETFs, including leveraged products. On-chain data shows that the BonkFun launchpad commands approximately 67% of the market, generating around $8 million weekly, which supports a buyback-and-burn mechanism. The token is nearing one million unique holders, with plans for a one trillion token burn on the agenda.

MEW’s Growth Through IP Monetization

MEW experienced a 17.92% increase, fueled by strides in intellectual property monetization. A collaboration with Locus Animation Studios to produce a 3D animated series has enriched the narrative surrounding this Solana-based meme asset. Distributed through a fair-launch mechanism, with airdrops to users of BONK, WIF, and Solana Mobile, MEW is adopting a “meme-to-media” strategy aimed at enhancing brand equity and diversifying revenue streams.

TOSHI’s Role as a Base Ecosystem Proxy

TOSHI saw a 20.71% rise, reflecting its perceived status as a proxy for the Base ecosystem. Named after both Satoshi Nakamoto and the cat of Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, TOSHI serves as an unofficial mascot for the Layer 2 platform operated by Coinbase. Investors are positioning it as a leveraged bet on Base’s user growth and the introduction of the new Coinbase wallet ‘super app.’ Additional features like Toshi Mart and MEOW DAO governance further bolster its utility proposition. Meanwhile, FARTCOIN climbed 20.01% following new exchange support for perpetual futures.

DeFi’s Fresh Momentum

The decentralized finance (DeFi) sector also witnessed renewed momentum, with Curve DAO Token (CRV) and Frax Share (FXS) leading the charge. CRV’s 26.77% increase coincided with ongoing whale accumulation, as evidenced by a 54% rise in exchange netflows of CRV tokens over the last day, indicating a potential supply squeeze. FXS surged by 22.45% following the “North Star” upgrade, which has redefined the token’s utility. It has now been reclassified as gas for the Fraxtal Layer 2 network, built on Optimism’s OP Stack, allowing FXS to benefit from a tail-emissions schedule that directly links token demand to network usage.

TRAC’s Strategic Positioning

OriginTrail’s TRAC gained 16.71%, leveraging the converging narratives of artificial intelligence and real-world asset tokenization. Its Decentralized Knowledge Graph facilitates verifiable data provenance for AI, with integrations spanning Google Vertex AI, OpenAI, and NVIDIA. TRAC’s strategic alliances with major players like Microsoft, Oracle, and EU-funded consortia underscore its role as a trusted data layer for both AI applications and tokenized assets.

Market Volatility and Risks

Trading volumes have varied significantly across different sectors, with memecoins experiencing pronounced volume spikes indicative of retail momentum, while TRAC showed more stable but relatively lower flows. Derivatives data revealed interesting trends, with CRV’s positive funding rates suggesting leveraged long positions, while FARTCOIN’s recent listing event acted as a structural catalyst. Potential risk factors persist, as memecoins remain vulnerable to narrative shifts that could reverse gains, while execution risks loom over Fraxtal adoption (FXS) and enterprise delivery timelines (TRAC). Broader market corrections or regulatory changes could pose challenges to the current bullish sentiment.

Emerging Trends and Future Outlook

Emerging strategies indicate that memecoin approaches are increasingly incorporating financial instruments and intellectual property assets. Monitoring on-chain transactions remains vital, as seen in CRV’s case, where movements often precede significant news. Utility-oriented models like FXS’s gas token design appear to foster more sustainable valuation. Projects like TRAC, which span multiple narrative domains, may be better positioned for lasting capital allocation. The recent uptick in altcoin activity reflects a market where liquidity, innovation, and evolving narratives converge to drive token-specific growth.