Crypto Basics

Are NFTs Dead? - Complete Analysis for NFT Investors

Learn everything about NFTs with our comprehensive analysis and uncover if NFTs are truly dead.
S. Vishwa
7 Minutes
MIN

The world of digital art and collectibles has been revolutionized by the emergence of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). These unique digital assets have captured the attention of artists, collectors, and investors alike.

However, as with any emerging trend, questions arise about its longevity and sustainability. In this article, we delve into the current state of NFTs, answering the burning question: Are NFTs dead?

The Rise and Fall of NFTs

The rise and fall of NFTs can be attributed to several key factors. Let us delve into a few significant factors that have had a considerable impact on the NFT industry.

The Rise of NFTs

The emergence of NFTs created a buzz in the art world and beyond. Artists saw an opportunity to showcase and sell their work in a new and exciting way. Digital creators and influencers started exploring the possibilities of monetizing their online presence through the creation and sale of NFTs.

Marketplaces dedicated to NFT trading, such as OpenSea and Rarible, experienced a surge in user activity, with transactions reaching significant values. The NFT frenzy became a hot topic in mainstream media, attracting both enthusiasts and skeptics.

NFTs in the Gaming Industry

NFTs have also made their way into the gaming industry, offering unique benefits to players and developers. In the realm of blockchain-based games, players can truly own and trade in-game assets, blurring the line between virtual and real-world ownership.

NFTs provide a solution to the issue of scarcity in digital gaming. Players can acquire rare items, skins, or characters as NFTs, giving them exclusive and tradable virtual possessions. This has led to the emergence of decentralized gaming economies and the potential for players to earn real-world value from their gaming activities.

Artistic Expression and NFTs

NFTs have opened up new avenues for artistic expression and creativity. Digital artists who previously struggled to monetize their work found an opportunity to showcase and sell their creations directly to collectors. This democratization of the art world challenged traditional gatekeepers and offered a more inclusive platform for artists.

Additionally, NFTs introduced the concept of "programmable art." Artists can embed dynamic features into their digital assets, allowing them to evolve and respond to external factors. This fusion of art and technology presents exciting possibilities for artistic exploration.

The Fall of NFTs

The decline of NFTs can be attributed to various crucial factors. Let's examine a few significant elements that have had a considerable impact on it.

Market Volatility

One of the key challenges for NFTs is market volatility. Prices of digital assets can fluctuate wildly, making it a risky investment for some. 

Critics argue that the NFT market resembles a speculative bubble, and caution against blindly jumping into the trend without thorough research and consideration.

Despite the volatility, there are success stories of NFT investments yielding substantial returns. As with any investment, understanding the market dynamics and carefully evaluating potential risks is crucial.

The Hype and Its Consequences

With the rise of NFTs came an undeniable wave of hype. Investors rushed to buy and trade digital assets, often resulting in exorbitant prices. Some high-profile sales, like Beeple's artwork selling for millions, contributed to the frenzy and inflated market valuations.

However, as with any hype-driven market, there were consequences. Speculators entered the scene, hoping to make quick profits, sometimes at the expense of genuine artists and collectors. This led to concerns about the long-term sustainability and intrinsic value of NFTs.

Environmental Concerns

As the popularity of NFTs soared, environmental concerns came into focus. The majority of NFT transactions occur on blockchain networks like Ethereum, which rely on a proof-of-work (Switched to Proof of Stake) consensus mechanism. This energy-intensive process requires significant computing power and contributes to carbon emissions.

Critics argue that the carbon footprint associated with NFTs is disproportionate to the value they provide. The debate over the environmental impact of NFTs has prompted discussions within the blockchain community about transitioning to more sustainable alternatives, such as proof-of-stake protocols.

The Role of Established Institutions

Established institutions, such as museums and galleries, have taken notice of the NFT phenomenon. Some have embraced it as a new way to engage with audiences and expand their digital presence. Others remain skeptical, questioning the value and longevity of digital art.

However, the involvement of established institutions brings credibility to the NFT space. Collaborations between renowned artists and museums have generated renewed interest and validated the potential of NFTs as a legitimate art form.

Challenges and Criticisms

Alongside the hype, NFTs face several challenges and criticisms. One concern is the lack of regulation and potential for fraudulent activities. The decentralized nature of blockchain technology makes it difficult to enforce copyright protection and prevent unauthorized reproductions.

Another criticism revolves around the carbon footprint and energy consumption, as mentioned earlier. The environmental impact of NFTs has led to debates about sustainability and the need for greener alternatives.

Furthermore, critics argue that the NFT market is saturated with low-quality and derivative works. This oversaturation can make it difficult for artists to stand out and for collectors to discern valuable assets from mere cash grabs.

Are NFTs Dead?

After exploring various aspects of the NFT landscape, we can now answer the burning question: Are NFTs dead? The answer is No. While the initial hype may have subsided, NFTs continue to evolve and adapt.

The market has experienced a correction after the initial frenzy, which was necessary to establish a more sustainable foundation. Although some projects and assets may lose value or fade into obscurity, the underlying technology and concept of NFTs remain relevant.

NFTs have proven their potential in revolutionizing various industries, including art, gaming, and collectibles. As the market matures, we can expect greater emphasis on quality, innovation, and long-term value.

Also Read - Is Bitcoin Dead? - Complete Analysis

NFTs and the Future

Although NFTs have gained recognition primarily for their association with expensive profile pictures, their potential extends far beyond that. 

Here are several compelling reasons why NFTs have the potential to regain traction and become increasingly popular in the future:

Advancements in Infrastructure: As the technology supporting NFTs continues to evolve and become more accessible, it has the potential to attract a larger number of investors and buyers to the market.

Exclusivity: NFTs possess a unique quality—they cannot be replicated, resulting in inherent scarcity. As the demand for specific NFTs grows, their prices may rise due to limited supply.

Portfolio Diversification: NFTs offer a distinct opportunity to invest in digital assets, which remains a relatively new and unexplored territory. In their pursuit of diversifying investment portfolios, investors may consider including NFTs as a part of their overall strategy.

Increasing Adoption: Although NFTs have garnered significant attention in recent years due to the surge in interest for digital art and collectibles, their potential in the gaming sector and other applications remains largely untapped. This untapped potential could provide a substantial boost to the popularity of NFTs in the future.

Growing Acceptance: Mainstream artists and renowned brands are progressively entering the NFT space, creating and selling their own NFTs. 

This increasing acceptance and participation from established entities could lead to more individuals buying and trading NFTs, consequently driving up their value.

While there are no guarantees regarding the future recovery of NFTs, the aforementioned factors indicate a promising potential for growth in the NFT market. 

However, it is crucial to acknowledge the inherent risks associated with investments, especially with nascent assets like NFTs. As of now, all we can do is wait and observe how the situation unfolds.

Also Read - NFT Rarity - What it Means and How to Calculate it?

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, while the initial hype surrounding NFTs has subsided, they are far from dead. NFTs have transformed the art world, opened new possibilities for creativity, and introduced innovative concepts to various industries like gaming.

However, challenges such as market volatility, environmental concerns, and the need for quality control remain. As the market matures and stakeholders address these challenges, NFTs will likely find their place as a significant aspect of the digital economy. 

Artists will continue to explore the potential of NFTs as a means of expression, and collectors will seek unique and valuable digital assets. The future of NFTs lies in balancing innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity.

Disclaimer

The information provided on this website does not constitute investment advice, financial advice, trading advice, or any other sort of advice and you should not treat any of the website's content as such.

Token Metrics does not recommend that any cryptocurrency should be bought, sold, or held by you. Do conduct your own due diligence and consult your financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

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Meme Coins in 2025: Why They’re Still Outperforming the Crypto Market

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Introduction:
Even in a sluggish crypto market, meme coins continue to outperform many other asset classes. In 2025, these highly speculative assets are not only surviving—some are thriving. This blog examines the current state of the meme coin market, what’s driving the activity, and how on-chain data and crypto analytics can help decode the chaos.

Meme Coins: Still Relevant in 2025?

Despite a broadly bearish macro environment, meme coins remain among the few bright spots in the crypto market. In the latest Token Metrics research webinar, several meme tokens showed outsized returns, including:

  • Gorbagana – up over 50% in a day
  • Useless Coin – jumped 40% in 24 hours
  • Startup Coin – nearly 9x returns over the past month

These tokens operate at low market caps and often launch with little or no formal whitepaper or utility. However, the power of narrative, social engagement, and rapid speculation continues to drive short-term gains.

Why Meme Coins Are Performing in a Bear Market

1. Low Liquidity, High Volatility:
Small-cap meme tokens can easily generate parabolic moves with modest capital inflows.

2. Community-Led Narratives:
Tokens like Useless Coin and Startup thrive on viral momentum from crypto-native communities, particularly on X (Twitter) and Telegram.

3. Whale Activity as a Signal:
Token Metrics analysts observed that whales have been accumulating select meme coins. This isn’t an endorsement—but it’s a data point. Monitoring on-chain whale behavior offers clues about where smart money is moving.

The Gobagana Case Study

Gobagana was cited as a high-risk Solana fork with minimal public information, yet it rapidly gained traction. On-chain analysis revealed:

  • Whale wallets accumulating in the early phase
  • Early VC insiders (e.g., those connected to Big Brain VC) engaging with the token
  • Rapid social engagement despite a small follower base

The takeaway? Even opaque meme coins can trigger major rallies—particularly if accumulation patterns align with social volume.

Risk Management and Red Flags

The meme coin market is not without risk. The Token Metrics team emphasized several cautions:

  • Illiquidity: Many meme tokens have low volume and limited exchange listings.
  • Exit scams or soft rugs: Teams can abandon the project after price pumps.
  • Price discovery volatility: Tokens may have no clear valuation baseline and can retrace sharply.

As such, these assets are often best approached with a high-risk tolerance and clear entry/exit rules.

How to Track Meme Coins Like a Quant

Using crypto analytics platforms like Token Metrics can help make sense of meme coin volatility. Tools that help include:

  • Real-time sentiment analysis
  • Whale wallet tracking
  • Price-to-volume anomaly detection
  • Bullish/bearish signal tracking

In 2025, data is more important than hype. While memes may dominate the narrative, only data reveals when the momentum shifts.

Meme Coins vs. Infrastructure Projects

Interestingly, while meme coins have been surging, many infrastructure or protocol tokens remain flat. This divergence suggests that retail attention is still focused on short-term speculation.

That said, once Bitcoin breaks key resistance levels, we could see capital rotate into AI, DeFi, and infrastructure themes. Meme coins may be the “canary in the coal mine” indicating renewed retail appetite.

Final Thoughts

Meme coins remain the wild west of crypto—but they aren’t going away. In fact, they’re becoming more sophisticated, with deeper liquidity pools, faster launches, and increased integration with social media bots and automated token creators.

As always, meme coin trading demands discipline, skepticism, and a robust toolkit. Watch the whales, follow the data, and never trade what you don’t understand.

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In the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency, discovering hidden gems—often called moonshots—can lead to life-changing returns. But the real challenge lies in separating hype from actual potential. In this guide, we’ll break down what crypto moonshots are, how they work, and how you can use Token Metrics to reliably find tokens with 100x upside.

What Are Moonshot Tokens?

The term moonshot comes from the idea of a crypto token “going to the moon,” or rapidly increasing in price. These are usually low-cap tokens with a compelling narrative, innovative technology, or early-stage market presence that give them high upside potential.

Key Characteristics of Moonshot Tokens:

  • Market Cap Below $50M – Smaller market caps have more room to grow.
  • High Risk / High Reward – Volatility is expected, but the upside can be enormous.
  • Early Entry – Timing matters. Getting in early before mainstream awareness is key.
  • Backed by Fundamentals – Even moonshots need solid technology, use cases, or backing.

How Do Crypto Moonshots Work?

Moonshots rely on the combination of innovation, market timing, and community adoption. They often start unnoticed, then experience exponential growth once crypto traders and influencers catch on.

The Lifecycle of a Typical Moonshot:

  1. Discovery Phase – A few savvy investors or analysts spot the token.
  2. Accumulation Phase – Early adopters buy in quietly, keeping prices low.
  3. Breakout Phase – News spreads, and trading volume spikes.
  4. Parabolic Run – FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) kicks in, driving price up rapidly.
  5. Profit-Taking or Collapse – Smart traders exit with gains; latecomers may be left holding the bag.

To avoid the trap of hype-driven tokens, it's essential to use data and analytics, not emotions. That’s where Token Metrics becomes your secret weapon.

How to Use Token Metrics to Find Monshots?

Token Metrics is an AI-powered crypto analytics platform that helps you discover high-potential tokens with real-time data, grades, and backtested indicators. Here’s a step-by-step guide to using Token Metrics to uncover 100x opportunities:

Step 1: Go to the Ratings Page

Start from the main dashboard of the Token Metrics app.

  • Navigate to the “Ratings” tab.
  • This page ranks thousands of tokens using AI-based Trader Grade and Investor Grade, factoring in technical indicators, on-chain metrics, sentiment, and more.

Pro Tip: Look for tokens with rising Trader Grades and strong historical performance.

Step 2: Click on the “Moonshots” Tab

Once you’re in the Ratings section:

  • Click the “Moonshots” tab at the top of the page.
  • This will filter the list down to tokens the AI model flags as having moonshot potential—i.e., tokens likely to perform exceptionally well in the short term.

These are automatically generated by Token Metrics AI models using over 80+ data points, including:

  • Price momentum
  • On-chain activity
  • Sentiment analysis
  • Volume spikes
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Each Moonshot token is presented with a rich dataset to help you make informed decisions:

  • Trader Grade (with % change in past 24h or 7d)
  • 24H Trading Volume – Gauge market interest
  • Market Cap – Lower caps typically offer more upside
  • Date of Entry – See when the token was first flagged
  • Live ROI Since Moonshot – Know exactly how past picks performed

Bonus Feature: Toggle to “Past Moonshots” to review previous winners and assess the track record of the platform.

Step 4: Choose a Token to Explore

Click on any token in the Moonshots list to open its Token Details Page.

Here, you can:

  • Analyze real-time charts
  • Review fundamentals, like project utility, tokenomics, roadmap, and team
  • See top holders and whale activity
  • Examine price volatility and volume patterns

This is where research and intuition meet. Use the available data to decide if this token fits your risk tolerance and investment thesis.

Step 5: Buy in Seconds

Token Metrics makes the process seamless:

  • Just click the “Buy” button on the Moonshots page.
  • This opens a swap widget powered by integrated DEX aggregators.
  • Choose your wallet, approve the transaction, and you're done—no need to leave the platform.

This integration eliminates the hassle of going to third-party platforms to execute trades, saving time and reducing risk.

Why Use Token Metrics for Finding Moonshots?

Token Metrics isn’t just about flashy picks—it’s about using data science and AI to gain an edge.

Key Benefits:

  • AI-Driven Insights – No emotional bias; just pure data analysis.
  • Transparency – View past moonshot performance, live ROI, and update dates.
  • Speed to Trade – Instant buy options right from the dashboard.
  • Performance Tracking – Evaluate your results based on entry/exit signals.

Real Examples: Token Metrics in Action

  • Euler Finance was flagged as a Moonshot before its 30% rally—validated by a bullish AI signal.
  • Morpho gained traction after appearing in the Moonshots list, later becoming a top TVL gainer.
  • Hyperliquid made the list before capturing major perp trading market share.

By combining early AI alerts with your own due diligence, you can position yourself ahead of the crowd.

Final Thoughts

Finding the next 100x crypto gem doesn’t have to be a guessing game. While the crypto space remains volatile, tools like Token Metrics help stack the odds in your favor. From real-time ratings to instant buy options and performance metrics, you have everything you need to make smart, data-driven bets on the future of crypto.

So if you're serious about turning small investments into big wins, start using Token Metrics to uncover moonshots before they go mainstream.

Try Token Metrics today and unlock the power of AI-driven crypto investing.

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8 min
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Introduction:
The DeFi landscape is evolving rapidly, and 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year. With innovations like permissionless lending, the ecosystem is transitioning into what many are calling DeFi 3.0. This blog explores what’s driving the shift, the platforms leading the charge, and what investors and developers need to know about this new wave.

What Is DeFi 3.0?

Decentralized finance (DeFi) has experienced two major innovation cycles:

  • DeFi 1.0 was defined by protocols like Uniswap, which revolutionized decentralized trading through automated market makers (AMMs).
  • DeFi 2.0 introduced concepts like protocol-owned liquidity, led by projects like OlympusDAO.

Now in DeFi 3.0, the focus has shifted to permissionless lending, advanced tokenomics, and integrated liquidity solutions.

The Core Drivers of DeFi 3.0

  1. Decentralization of Lending Access:
    Traditional DeFi lending platforms like AAVE require users to hold governance tokens or pass internal gatekeeping to create new markets. DeFi 3.0 protocols remove those barriers, allowing anyone to participate more freely.

  2. Integrated Liquidity and Lending:
    New platforms are enabling liquidity provision and borrowing from the same pool—merging the utility of DEXs with money markets.

  3. Improved Capital Efficiency:
    DeFi 3.0 focuses on optimizing the use of locked capital. Through smart contract automation, platforms allow users to earn on idle funds, reduce slippage, and optimize collateral.

Leading Platforms in the DeFi 3.0 Movement

1. Euler Finance
Euler has grown to over $1B in total value locked (TVL) and is rolling out a key innovation: EulerSwap. This module lets protocols provide liquidity for both swaps and borrowing in a single pool.
Key features:

  • Dual-purpose liquidity (swap + lending)
  • “Just-in-time” borrowing mechanisms
  • Smart contract automation for optimized usage

2. Morpho
Morpho is another high-growth player. With support from Coinbase and over $4B in TVL, it's becoming a serious challenger to AAVE. Its permissionless lending architecture and novel liquidity provisioning model stand out.

3. Hyperliquid
While not a lender per se, Hyperliquid’s approach to perpetuals (perps) trading is noteworthy. It has captured 11% of Binance’s perp market share, signaling DeFi’s growing ability to challenge centralized platforms.

Why Permissionless Lending Matters

The benefits of removing centralized control over lending markets include:

  • Faster innovation and product launches
  • Greater financial inclusion for emerging projects
  • Risk-based pricing by the market, not centralized governance
  • Enhanced decentralization and resilience

However, challenges remain. The risk of undercollateralized positions and protocol exploits still exist. That’s why security—such as smart contract audits and on-chain firewalls—is critical.

The Role of Token Metrics in Tracking DeFi 3.0

During the webinar, the Token Metrics team highlighted how their platform tracks the performance of DeFi 3.0 projects using metrics like:

  • TVL growth rate
  • Trader grade and investor grade
  • Bullish or bearish signals based on 80+ data points

For example, Euler’s bullish signal flipped just before a 30% price rise, demonstrating the value of data-driven insight in volatile markets.

What's Next for DeFi?

As the cycle evolves, we expect:

  • A proliferation of permissionless lending protocols across L1s and L2s
  • Better capital efficiency tools
  • Greater interoperability across EVM chains and Solana
  • On-chain integrations with tokenized real-world assets

Final Thoughts

DeFi 3.0 is not just hype—it represents a fundamental shift in how decentralized finance operates. Permissionless lending, composable liquidity, and institutional-grade risk controls are turning DeFi into a more mature, scalable ecosystem.

As always, perform your own due diligence and keep an eye on platform fundamentals, smart contract risk, and ecosystem adoption.

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