Next Cryptocurrency to Explode, 20 January — Near Protocol, Hedera, EigenLayer, Compound

The
altcoin
market
looks
promising,
and
many
altcoins
are
recording
gains.
Late
last
year,
the
cryptocurrency
market
experienced
heightened
volatility
as
several
tokens
experienced
price
fluctuations.
But
things
have
mostly
been
on
the
green
side
for
many
investors
since
November.
Investors
need
to
stay
alert
during
this
consolidation
phase,
as
it
could
be
a
chance
to
catch
a
ride
on
a
rising
trend.

Prices
of
various
altcoins
are
already
showing
positive
movements,
even
before
the
market
takes
off
entirely.
This
article
is
dedicated
to
identifying
the


next
cryptocurrencies
to
explode

and
inform
investors
and
traders
about
each
token.

Next
Cryptocurrency
To
Explode

Savvy
investors
capitalized
on
this
year’s
boom
in
the
altcoin
market
and
taking
positions
in
upcoming
tokens
like
the
Meme
Index.
Meme
Index
simplifies
investing
in
meme
coins
by
offering
exposure
to
a
curated
collection
of
meme
coins,
reducing
individual
risks.

1.
Near
Protocol
(NEAR)

NEAR
Protocol
is
making
waves
as
a
user-friendly
and
developer-focused
platform
for
creating
decentralized
applications
(dApps).
Currently
priced
at
$5.42,
the
token
has
seen
a
0.56%
rise
in
the
last
24
hours
and
a
more
substantial
20.83%
increase
over
the
past
week,
pushing
its
market
cap
to
$6.39
billion
and
ranking
it
#27
by
market
capitalization.

NEAR’s
focus
on
scalability
and
ease
of
use
has
attracted
developers
looking
for
alternatives
to
congested
networks.
As
the
demand
for
dApps
continues
to
grow,
NEAR
appears
poised
for
steady,
long-term
growth,
distinguishing
itself
from
tokens
that
rely
on
rapid,
short-lived
price
spikes.

One
of
NEAR
Protocol’s
standout
features
is
its
sharding
technology,
which,
along
with
low
transaction
fees,
addresses
major
blockchain
challenges.
Sharding
can
be
likened
to
adding
more
cashiers
to
a
busy
supermarket,
significantly
reducing
wait
times.
Similarly,
NEAR’s
sharding
reduces
network
congestion,
making
it
a
faster
and
more
efficient
option
compared
to
platforms
like
Ethereum.

In
a
milestone
last
month,
NEAR
Protocol
became
the
first
non-Ethereum
Virtual
Machine
(EVM)
blockchain
to
integrate
with
MetaMask
fully.
This
integration,
powered
by
the
NEAR
Snap
feature
from
HERE
Wallet
and
the
Banyan
Collective,
allows
MetaMask
users
to
create
NEAR
accounts
and
sign
transactions
within
the
ecosystem
seamlessly.

2.
Hedera
(HBAR)

As
the
altcoin
market
shows
signs
of
recovery,
Hedera
(HBAR)
is
capturing
attention
with
an
impressive
7%
gain.
Its
recent
breakout
and
retest
suggest
a
strong
potential
for
further
bullish
movement.

HBAR’s
upward
momentum
began
in
November,
starting
from
the
$0.046
level
and
surging
to
a
$0.39
resistance
zone.
After
this
rally,
the
token
consolidated
into
a
bullish
pennant
formation,
often
signaling
a
pause
before
further
growth.
On
16
January,
HBAR
broke
above
the
pennant’s
upper
trendline,
reaching
a
local
high
of
$0.40.
It
then
retraced
to
test
the
$0.32
support
zone,
confirming
the
breakout.

Currently
trading
at
$0.3660,
HBAR
is
poised
for
a
potential
rally.
If
it
successfully
surpasses
the
$0.40
resistance
zone,
it
could
aim
for
a
short-term
target
of
$0.55,
marking
a
possible
50%
upside
from
its
current
price.

Upcoming
session:
‘Expanding
Tokenization:
Unlocking
Liquidity
in
Global
Markets’
with

@GregoryLBell,
SVP

@HBAR_foundation
during

#HalbornACCESS.

HalbornACCESS
is
a
premier
digital
asset
security
summit
exploring
the
future
of
financial
services
and
digital
assets
through
DLT.…

pic.twitter.com/nfHbiTCzCY

—
Hedera
(@hedera)

January
17,
2025

Beyond
price
movements,
Hedera
is
making
significant
strides
in
adoption.
The
World
Gemological
Institute
(WGI)
partnered
with
fintech
firm
Vaultik
to
tokenize
$3
billion
of
luxury
assets
on
the
Hedera
blockchain,
such
as
diamonds,
gemstones,
watches,
and
jewelry.
This
innovative
step
modernizes
the
$100
billion
diamond
industry,
leveraging
blockchain
for
enhanced
authenticity,
transparency,
and
security.

Additionally,
HBAR
is
benefiting
from
speculation
around
the
approval
of
a
spot
HBAR
exchange-traded
fund
(ETF)
by
the
U.S.
Securities
and
Exchange
Commission
under
the
new
Trump
administration.
Canary,
a
fund
manager,
has
already
filed
for
an
HBAR-focused
ETF.
Analysts
suggest
it
could
have
a
strong
chance
of
approval
in
2025,
potentially
outpacing
competitors
like
Ripple,
Solana,
and
Litecoin.

3.
Meme
Index
(MEMEX)

The


Meme
Index

is
making
waves
as
the
first-ever
decentralized
meme
coin
index,
currently
in
its
presale
phase.
With
an
impressive
$2.6
million
already
raised,
the
project
is
steadily
gaining
attention
and
momentum
in
crypto.
Its
MEMEX
token
offers
a
unique
opportunity
for
investors,
featuring
a
range
of
investment
baskets
tailored
to
different
risk
tolerance
levels.

The
available
baskets
include
the
Meme
Titan
Index,
designed
for
those
seeking
relatively
stable
options,
and
the
Meme
Frenzy
Index,
which
appeals
to
thrill-seekers
by
focusing
on
emerging,
high-volatility
meme
coins
with
potentially
huge
returns.
This
variety
allows
investors
to
choose
options
that
align
with
their
financial
goals
and
risk
appetite.

Moreover,
MEMEX
token
holders
can
take
advantage
of
the
presale
staking
pool,
which
offers
an
extraordinary
annual
yield
of
887%.
The
current
presale
price
of
$0.0154077
per
token
presents
a
compelling
opportunity
for
those
looking
to
maximize
their
returns
early
on.

In
addition,
the
platform
taps
into
the
enormous
$120
billion
meme
coin
market,
simplifying
investments
by
offering
a
diversified
approach.
This
strategy
minimizes
the
risks
usually
linked
to
individual
meme
coin
investments,
making
it
easier
and
less
intimidating
for
newcomers
to
enter
the
market.

The
presale
offers
a
limited-time
chance
to
secure
tokens
before
the
price
increases
in
less
than
two
days.
Interested
buyers
can
purchase
MEMEX
tokens
on
the
official
website
using
USDT,
ETH,
or
a
bank
card.

Visit
the
MEMEX
Presale

4.
EigenLayer
(EIGEN)

EigenLayer
has
recently
faced
challenges
on
daily,
weekly,
and
monthly
performance
charts
following
the
announcement
of
its
new
governance
system,
EigenGov
V1.
This
system
aims
to
decentralize
decision-making
and
promote
collaboration
among
participants
in
the
ecosystem.
Despite
the
short-term
price
dip,
this
innovative
framework
has
sparked
investor
interest
and
boosted
confidence
in
the
protocol’s
long-term
potential.

Over
the
past
few
months,
EigenLayer
has
encountered
significant
hurdles,
including
a
major
hack
that
resulted
in
the
loss
of
over
1.6
million
tokens
valued
at
$6.8
million.
However,
the
project
is
making
steady
progress
toward
recovery.
Developers
have
planned
to
distribute
67
million
tokens—equivalent
to
4%
of
the
initial
supply—over
the
next
year.
These
tokens
will
be
released
weekly,
with
3%
allocated
to
Ethereum
and
liquid
staking
token
stakes.
In
comparison,
the
remaining
1%
will
go
to
EIGEN
stakes
and
operators.

On
14
January,
EigenLayer
announced
the
creation
of
a
Protocol
Council
tasked
with
ensuring
protocol
security
and
reviewing
EigenLayer
Improvement
Proposals
(EIPs).
This
development
was
shared
by
the
Eigen
Foundation
via
a
tweet,
emphasizing
the
platform’s
commitment
to
strengthening
its
infrastructure.
EigenLayer
launched
a
testnet
about
a
month
ago
for
its
latest
protocol
upgrade.

This
upgrade,
known
as
“Slashing,”
is
a
significant
step
in
enhancing
accountability
and
security
within
EigenLayer’s
ecosystem.
According
to
the
team,
Slashing
is
a
critical
mechanism
enabling
Asset
Value
Securing
(AVS)
participants
to
uphold
their
crypto-economic
commitments,
ensuring
a
more
secure
and
reliable
environment.

5.
Compound
(COMP)

COMP
is
priced
at
$84.59,
marking
a
16.31%
increase
over
the
past
week.
Over
the
last
24
hours,
its
trading
volume
surged
by
51.35%,
reaching
$80.51
million.
Despite
this
growth,
its
price
and
market
cap
experienced
fluctuations,
showing
some
volatility
during
this
period.

The
token
is
trading
29.10%
above
its
200-day
Simple
Moving
Average
(SMA),
indicating
strong
bullish
momentum.
Market
sentiment
for
COMP
remains
optimistic,
with
the
Fear
&
Greed
Index
at
76,
signaling
“Extreme
Greed.”
This
reflects
a
rise
in
token
transactions
and
growing
confidence
in
a
potential
uptrend.

About
a
month
ago,
the
Mantle
Network
brought
attention
to
COMP
by
integrating
Compound
III
into
its
ecosystem.
This
collaboration
is
a
significant
step
toward
enhancing
borrowing
and
lending
services
on
Mantle.
It
also
introduces
new
collateral
options
in
a
secure
environment,
making
it
a
promising
development
for
users.

Compound
Finance
has
also
expanded
its
platform
by
adding
two
new
assets
for
borrowing
and
lending:
Ethena’s
stablecoin
“USDe”
and
Mantle’s
liquid
staking
token
“mETH.”
These
additions,
approved
by
a
token
holder
vote
on
8
January,
offer
more
flexibility
for
users
seeking
collateral
options. 

Moreover,
discussions
are
underway
to
include
cmETH,
another
token
from
Mantle,
on
the
platform.
This
aligns
with
the
growing
trend
of
liquid
staking
tokens
gaining
traction
in
decentralized
finance
(DeFi).

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