Bitcoin (BTC) staged a sharp recovery, rebounding from a sell-off sparked by Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on US imports from Canada and Mexico. The downturn wiped out $460 billion from the total crypto market capitalization, triggering $985 million in liquidations and sending BTC plunging to $82,000.
Despite the sharp sell-off, Bitcoin regained momentum, surging 4% in 24 hours to trade at $87,300 at press time. While uncertainty still looms, some altcoins are showing strength, pushing toward key valuation milestones.
With liquidity returning to the market, Finbold has identified two cryptocurrencies, Aave (AAVE) and Aptos (APT), as being on track to reach a $5 billion market cap by March, driven by growing institutional interest and a rapidly expanding DeFi ecosystem.
Aave (AAVE)
Currently trading at $222.87 with a market capitalization of $3.4 billion, Aave has surged over 26% in the past 24 hours. To reach a $5 billion market cap, Aave would need to climb to approximately $327 per token, a target that now appears increasingly within reach.
Aave price and market cap. Source: Finbold
A major catalyst for this growth is the tokenomics overhaul proposal, which is subject to community approval and has been described by Marc Zeller, the founder of Aave Chan Initiative (ACI), as ‘the most important proposal’ in Aave’s history.
The proposal includes a $1 million weekly AAVE buyback for six months, an ‘Umbrella’ safety mechanism designed to protect users from bad debt ‘up to billions’, and a new revenue model.
Aave protocol revenue remains strong despite market conditions, and the cash portion of the Aave DAO has increased by 115% since the adoption of the Aavenomics update in 2024, now sitting at $115 million.
Meanwhile, Aave continues to assert its dominance in the DeFi sector, with total value locked (TVL) surpassing $18 billion, nearly equal to the combined TVL of other major lending protocols, according to DeFiLlama.
Over the past seven days, the protocol has generated more than $8.08 million in fees, further highlighting sustained network activity despite broader market volatility.
Its expansion to Layer 1 blockchain Sonic and increasing DeFi adoption further strengthen its growth potential. With technical indicators pointing to continued upside and with the potential approval of the proposal, Aave could hit a $5 billion market cap in March.
Aptos (APT)
Currently trading at $5.87 with a market capitalization of $3.5 billion, Aptos would need a 42.86% surge to hit the $5 billion mark, pushing its price toward $8.48.
Aptos price and market cap. Source: Finbold
Despite recent market fluctuations, key indicators suggest Aptos could be on track for significant growth. Total Value Locked (TVL) has surged from just 12 million APT at the start of 2024 to over 165 million APT, indicating strong DeFi activity and increasing capital inflows.
At the same time, Aptos’ stablecoin market cap has soared from $49.18 million to over $833 million, a sign of the network’s growing liquidity.
Institutional interest is also gaining traction, with Bitwise filing for an Aptos trust, a move that could pave the way for a potential APT ETF, opening doors for increased investor participation.
Meanwhile, derivatives data remains bullish, with open interest up 4.23% to $141.94 million and a long/short ratio above 2 on Binance and OKX, suggesting traders are heavily positioning for further gains.
With strong network expansion, surging liquidity, and rising institutional interest, Aptos appears well-positioned to break past the $5 billion market cap milestone in March.
That being said, a return to a $5 billion market cap for Aave and Aptos appears increasingly likely, considering both assets surpassed this level just months ago. If market conditions hold steady and Bitcoin reclaims the $100,000 mark, momentum could drive both assets back to this key threshold by March.
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