Zilliqa Surges Ahead as Altcoins Show Unexpected Strength
It’s not every day you see a token like Zilliqa (ZIL) jump over 40% in 24 hours. But that’s exactly what happened on July 3, according to Phoenix Group’s latest market update. ZIL led the pack with a 41.1% spike, pushing its price to $0.01 and its market cap just shy of $287 million. Not bad for a blockchain that’s been flying under the radar for a while.
What’s driving the surge? Hard to say for sure. Maybe it’s renewed interest in scalable blockchains—Zilliqa’s always been decent at handling transactions efficiently. Or maybe traders are just hunting for undervalued projects. Either way, it’s a reminder that the crypto market still has room for surprises.
DeFi Tokens Make Quiet Gains
Zilliqa wasn’t the only one moving. Parcel (PRCL) and Hooked Protocol (HOOK) both posted solid numbers, climbing 28.7% and 27.4% respectively. PRCL inched up to $0.08, while HOOK hit $0.50. Neither is a household name, but that’s kind of the point. Smaller DeFi projects have been picking up steam lately, especially ones with clear use cases.
It’s not exactly a bull run, but it’s something. These jumps suggest that at least some investors are willing to take chances on newer, less proven platforms. Whether that optimism holds is another question. DeFi’s had its ups and downs, and a good day doesn’t always mean a trend.
AI and Blockchain Still Drawing Attention
Ronin (RON), AI Rig Complex (ARC), and Arcana (XAR) also had a strong showing, with gains between 18% and 20%. Ronin’s 20.5% bump is interesting—it’s not purely an AI token, but it’s been tied to gaming and NFT projects, which have been quietly resurgent. ARC and XAR, on the other hand, are more directly linked to AI development on the blockchain.
None of these are huge movers in terms of market cap, but they’re part of a broader pattern. AI and blockchain keep intersecting, and while the hype has cooled since last year, there’s still money flowing into these niches. Whether that’s justified or just speculative is up for debate.
What’s Next?
Days like this are a mixed bag. On one hand, it’s good to see smaller tokens getting attention. On the other, sharp spikes often lead to corrections. Crypto markets are volatile by nature, and today’s winners can easily become tomorrow’s losers.
Still, the fact that DeFi and AI-related projects are holding their own—at least for now—might mean something. Or maybe it’s just another blip. Either way, it’s worth keeping an eye on.
