- Small-cap altcoins like $PEPU and $POKT defy market pullback with triple-digit gains.
- Bitcoin and Ethereum dip, but crypto market cap holds firm near $3.51 trillion.
- SEC dropping Binance case hints at potential easing of U.S. crypto regulations.
The cryptocurrency market is navigating a mild pullback as leading tokens $BTC and $ETH posted notable declines over the last 24 hours. According to CryptoRank data, Bitcoin is currently trading near $106,000, reflecting a 1.75% loss.
Ethereum is down more sharply, falling 3.99% to $2,619. Despite the broader decline, several small-cap coins have surged, showcasing the volatility and opportunity that persist in the altcoin sector.
Mixed Momentum Across the Board
The total market capitalization now stands at $3.51 trillion, suggesting investor confidence remains relatively stable. Meanwhile, liquidations over the last day total $671.10 million, underlining heightened volatility. The Fear & Greed Index holds at 60, indicating market sentiment leans towards greed, albeit moderately.
Notably, while market leaders saw red, select small-cap assets delivered astonishing returns. Among the top gainers, Pepe Unchained ($PEPU) surged 332.3% before retracing, as of press time priced at $0.0002442.
Despite today’s drop of 10.05%, the meme-driven token had previously rallied on social media hype. Its weekly chart paints a less rosy picture, down 90.77% over the last seven days, signaling intense speculation.
Pocket Network ($POKT), a decentralized API protocol, has emerged as a standout performer. The token climbed 264.3% over the past 24 hours, trading at $0.05754. This push aligns with recent ecosystem developments and high trading volume, exceeding $37 million. The coin’s weekly gain sits at 231.07%, with a total market cap of $112.93 million.
Candle Cat, LABUBU, and FLOCK Join the Surge
Candle Cat ($CANDLE), another microcap player, saw a 155.6% increase over 24 hours before settling down. It trades at $0.001319, with a market cap of $254,939. While the price dropped 3.81% today, it’s still up 14.93% on the week, indicating renewed interest from retail investors.
LABUBU SOL jumped 85.6%, trading at $0.057336, with strong 24-hour momentum of 88.41%. Backed by a $27 million volume, this surge reflects growing interest in Solana ecosystem tokens.
FLOCK ($FLOCK) also gained significantly, climbing 51.9% to reach $0.1485. It has sustained growth over the past week, up 68.09%, likely driven by community engagement and increased trading activity.
In Brief: Major Headlines
In other news, Tether’s issuance exceeded 65.7 billion coins, hitting a new all-time high. The U.S. Appeals Court has reinstated tariffs from the Trump era during an ongoing legal process. Meanwhile, the SEC dropped its lawsuit against Binance, signaling a possible shift in regulatory posture.
