|

Metaverse tokens up 400% year on year despite altcoin bloodbath

A new report from Kraken Intelligence reveals that Metaverse tokens were one of only two categories of crypto that saw year-on-year growth in prices.

Metaverse tokens are vastly outperforming every other crypto category in the current bearish condition, up by nearly 400% year-on-year.

Leading the gains are Decentraland (MANA) up 41%, Sandbox (SAND) up 470%, Axie Infinity (AXS) up 511%, and STEPN (GMT) up 746% according to data from the May 2022 market report by Kraken Intelligence and CoinGecko. Metaverse tokens can be used to pay fees, buy land, and participate in governance.

The next highest category for year-on-year gains were exchange tokens that saw a 6% increase. All other categories saw negative price action in the same time period ranging from -13% for Bitcoin to -72% for DeFi.

Kraken Intelligence reveals that Metaverse tokens are up 400% year-on-year

Blockchain-based gaming using nonfungible tokens (NFT) and Metaverse platforms has remained tremendously popular throughout 2022 so far. Despite slumping prices across the market, usership among those games has remained consistent at about 1 million users per day according to data from decentralized app (Dapp) tracker DappRadar. 

The Kraken report pointed out that although May saw flat daily usership, “NFT volume saw a large decrease with daily volume dropping -87.1%.”

Every category tracked by Kraken’s report, including Metaverse and exchange tokens, experienced negative returns over the past 30 days and 90 days. Metaverse tokens were among the worst losers over the past 30 days, dropping 42%, with by far the highest volatility at 173%.

Despite the short term price action, money is pouring in to fund the sector. DAppRadar’s Q1 games report noted that $2.5 billion was raised in support of blockchain games and Metaverse projects in the first quarter of 2022. Investors were eager to back games according to the report because 52% of all blockchain activity came from game DApps:

At this pace, play-to-earn and Metaverse-related projects will add $10 billion this year to keep building the future of this industry.

Layer-1 tokens such as Solana (SOL) and Cardano (ADA) led the losers as over the past 90 days, they are down 53% and down 43% over the past 30 days. 

Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) saw relatively modest losses compared to altcoins over all three time frames measured by Kraken.

Author

Cointelegraph Team

Cointelegraph Team

Cointelegraph

We are privileged enough to work with the best and brightest in Bitcoin.

More from Cointelegraph Team
Share:

Editor's Picks

Ethereum Price Forecast: Whales absorb retail distribution as bear market nears late stage​
Ethereum (ETH) large holders have been accumulating the supply of retail investors in 2026. In a report released late Wednesday, CryptoQuant analysts highlighted that the supply of the 1K-10K ETH cohort has fallen from 15.6 million ETH in January to roughly 12.9 million ETH.
Hyperliquid reports strong Q2 growth despite revenue decline
Hyperliquid Research Collective (HRC) reported on Thursday broad growth across Hyperliquid's key operating metrics in Q2 despite a decline in revenue, as adoption of its HIP-3 ecosystem and HYPE token continued to accelerate. The firm noted that holder revenue declined 4.7% QoQ to $142.88 million, while protocol revenue fell 6.6% to $169.37 million, according to a Thursday report.
Dogecoin Price Forecast: DOGE sell-off seems unstoppable despite renewed retail interest
Dogecoin (DOGE) is trading under dominant selling pressure on Thursday, hovering below $0.0700, a recent support-turned-resistance level. The meme coin has shed 3% of its value in the first week of August, against a backdrop of heavier selling pressure in previous months since May highs around $0.1186.
XRP nears key support despite multi-signature upgrade proposal
Ripple (XRP) remains pressured, trading below $1.05 at the time of writing on Thursday. The token has declined for the fourth consecutive day this week, reflecting lethargic sentiment in the broader cryptocurrency market despite the possibility of easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Bitcoin: Bulls hold the line
Bitcoin (BTC) edges slightly lower, trading at $64,300 at the time of writing on Friday but holding firmly above a key support zone. US-listed spot Bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) support BTC as they continued to attract institutional flows through Thursday, pointing to the fourth consecutive week of net inflows.