Crypto markets are evolving — and fast. In the early days, retail investors dominated the space. But by 2025, the tides are shifting. Institutional investors, family offices, and algorithmic funds are entering the market at scale. This blog explores the growing divide — and how it’s reshaping opportunities for everyday traders.

The Rise of Institutional Money in Crypto
Over the last year, a new class of investors has emerged: professional firms with deep pockets and long-term horizons. They're no longer just “exploring crypto” — they’re actively deploying capital.

Why now?

• Regulatory clarity in major jurisdictions
  
• Bitcoin ETF approvals and crypto fund launches
  
• Better custody, risk management, and analytics tools (including Token Metrics)
  

What Are Institutions Buying?
Institutions tend to avoid meme coins and hyper-volatility. Instead, they focus on:

• Layer 1 Infrastructure – Ethereum alternatives like Sui and Avalanche
  
• AI Tokens – Leveraging real-world utility and strong narratives
  
• DeFi Blue Chips – Projects with consistent TVL and governance upgrades
  
• Stable Yield Strategies – On-chain bonds, staking, and real-world asset tokens
  

Token Metrics has seen a spike in institutional users filtering by Investor Grade and project fundamentals.

Retail Traders Still Dominate One Arena
Retail traders are far from out — they dominate high-volatility narratives:

• Meme tokens
  
• Social coin launches (e.g., Launchcoin)
  
• Short-term speculation based on influencer sentiment
  

Retail’s edge? Speed, risk tolerance, and virality. Many of Token Metrics’ bold signals still originate from this activity before institutions catch on.

Token Metrics Bridging the Divide
What makes Token Metrics powerful in 2025 is its ability to serve both segments:

• Institutions use it for due diligence, grades, and long-term planning.
  
• Retail traders use it for short-term signals, alerts, and narrative tracking.
  

This dual capability creates a level playing field, where data, not capital, is the edge.

How to Trade Based on Who’s in Control

1. When institutions lead – expect slower but more sustainable growth. Focus on high Investor Grade tokens.
   
2. When retail leads – expect fast-moving pumps and dumps. Use high Trader Grade + bold signals.
   
3. Hybrid phase (now) – Use both metrics to balance volatility and long-term conviction.
   

Market Behavior Patterns to Watch

• Low volatility + high inflows → Institutional buildup
  
• High volume + sudden spikes → Retail-driven narratives
  
• Diverging BTC vs. altcoin trends → Mixed sentiment cycles
  

Conclusion
The crypto market in 2025 is being driven by both the old guard and the new wave. Institutions bring maturity. Retail brings momentum. Smart investors use tools like Token Metrics to read the room — and position themselves accordingly.

Crypto trading success often boils down to timing. But how do you know when to enter — and when to stay long? Token Metrics solves this dilemma with a dual-grade system: Trader Grade and Investor Grade. Each grade serves a different investment goal, and together, they help you make more confident decisions, whether you’re day trading or holding for the long run.

What is the Trader Grade?
The Trader Grade measures short-term momentum. It uses AI to analyze price action, volume trends, technical indicators, and recent sentiment shifts. Scores range from 0 to 100, and a score above 80 signals strong short-term potential.

Use Case:

• Perfect for swing traders and short-term opportunists.
  
• Look for tokens with Trader Grade > 80 for potential breakout trades.
  
• Example: Launchcoin had a Trader Grade above 90 before its 35x rally began.
  

What is the Investor Grade?
The Investor Grade focuses on long-term fundamentals. It’s designed for those who want to hold tokens for months or even years. This grade considers tokenomics, development activity, ecosystem strength, narrative alignment, and long-term price structure.

Use Case:

• Ideal for long-term portfolio builders.
  
• A token with Investor Grade > 80 is a strong candidate for accumulation.
  
• AI infrastructure tokens and modular blockchains often rank high here.
  

Why Use Both?
Most traders fail by only looking at hype or short-term charts. Token Metrics lets you blend data:

• High Trader Grade + Low Investor Grade? Consider a short-term trade, not a long hold.
  
• High Investor Grade + Low Trader Grade? Consider waiting for a better entry point.
  
• Both High? Green light for confidence in both entry and long-term performance.
  

Case Study: Balancing Your Portfolio with Grades
Users can use the dual-grade approach for smarter allocation:

• 30% of capital to high Trader Grade tokens (short-term plays)
  
• 70% to high Investor Grade tokens (long-term holds)
  

This method helps mitigate risk and improve overall ROI.

Where to Find the Grades
Both grades are displayed prominently across:

• Token Detail Pages – Real-time grade updates with historical data
  
• Market Page Filters – Sort tokens by grade thresholds
  
• Portfolio Builder Tool – Automatically selects tokens with strong grades
  

Tips for Grade-Based Trading

1. Use Trader Grade for volatile markets or when prices are accelerating.
   
2. Use Investor Grade when building positions in strong narratives like AI, DeFi, or infrastructure.
   
3. Avoid tokens with both grades below 60 unless you’re making a speculative bet.
   

Conclusion
Trading without context is gambling. Token Metrics’ Trader and Investor Grades give you a proven framework for assessing both momentum and fundamentals. Whether you’re here for a quick flip or a long-term bet, using the dual-grade system can level up your crypto strategy.

The power of any great API isn’t just in the data it provides — it’s also in the control, visibility, and accountability it gives developers. That’s why the Token Metrics API Dashboard is more than just a place to generate keys — it’s your real-time command center for monitoring API key usage, managing access, and optimizing performance.

In this article, we’ll explore how to use the Token Metrics API Dashboard to stay in control of your app’s data usage, track request history, and ensure your integrations remain secure and efficient.

📍 Where to Find It

To access the dashboard:

1. Log in to your Token Metrics account.
   
2. Go to: https://app.tokenmetrics.com/en/api
   
3. Navigate to the API Keys and API Usage sections.
   

🔐 View and Manage API Keys

The API Keys section gives you a complete overview of every active key associated with your account. For each key, you’ll see:

• Key Name: Descriptive labels like "Bot A" or "Staging Server"
  
• Created Date: When the key was generated
  
• Last Used: Timestamp of the most recent request
  
• Status: Active or inactive toggle
  
• Actions: Trash icon to instantly delete a key
  

💡 Why It Matters:

• Spot unused or stale keys that may pose a security risk
  
• Instantly disable or delete a key if it’s compromised
  
• Monitor which app or environment is making the most requests
  

📊 Monitor API Usage in Real-Time

In the Usage Dashboard, Token Metrics gives you deep insights into how your API credits are being used.

Key metrics include:

• API Calls Graph
  A daily call volume chart so you can identify peaks in usage, anomalies, or unexpected surges.
  
  
• Total Monthly API Calls
  Example:
  8,750 / 20,000
  See how much of your monthly quota you’ve used — and when it resets.
  
  
• Remaining API Credits
  Know exactly how many calls you have left in your current cycle.
  
  
• API Call Statistics Table
  Each row includes:
  
  
  • Endpoint accessed (e.g., /trader-grade)
    
  • Timestamp of the request
    
  • Status code (200 = success, 401 = unauthorized, etc.)
    
  • Originating IP address
    
  • Success/failure response
    

🔄 Debugging & Insights Made Easy

This dashboard doesn’t just monitor—it helps you debug and optimize.

• Quickly identify if your integration is repeatedly hitting 400 or 403 errors
  
• Check whether a specific key is being overused or underused
  
• Pinpoint spikes in usage that may indicate unauthorized access
  
• See which endpoints are called most often — and consider caching results
  
  

⚠️ Avoid Rate Limit Surprises

If you’re on a Basic or Advanced plan, you’ll have a rate limit (e.g., 1 req/min for free users, up to 600 req/min for VIPs). The dashboard helps ensure you stay within your limits — and scale appropriately when needed.

🚀 Build Better with Transparency

In a production environment, visibility into API activity is critical. With Token Metrics, you’re never flying blind. You always know:

• Which app is using which key
  
• How many credits you’re using
  
• When to optimize or upgrade
  

From security to scaling, the Token Metrics API Dashboard gives you the insight you need to build with clarity and control.

👉 Launch Your API Dashboard Now → tokenmetrics.com/api

The crypto market isn't clearly bullish or bearish in mid-2025 — it's neutral. This article explores why this 'in-between' momentum could signal a maturing market cycle, and what investors should watch for as signals normalize after a sharp $1T rebound in total market cap.

As we navigate through the midpoint of 2025, one question dominates trading desks and Telegram groups alike: Is the crypto market bullish or bearish? Surprisingly, the answer might be neither. Current indicators suggest that we are in a neutral zone — an ambiguous space where the market is no longer surging with euphoric gains but isn’t plunging into panic either.

From January through mid-May, the total crypto market cap has grown from $1 trillion to $2 trillion. This swift rebound signals recovery, but not full-blown optimism. Instead, many analysts — ourselves included — interpret this as a healthy correction and stabilization following intense early-year volatility.

This kind of environment often marks the early stages of a maturing cycle. Unlike the sharp swings we saw in previous bull and bear markets, 2025’s trend suggests more measured growth, driven by fundamentals rather than hype. In other words, the market might finally be learning from its past.

That doesn’t mean the space lacks activity. Sectors like DeFi lending and AI-related tokens continue to gain traction, with significant TVL inflows. Retail interest in meme coins also remains high in select regions. But overall, what we’re seeing is consolidation — not chaos.

In this neutral setting, strategy matters more than sentiment. It's no longer about jumping into trending narratives or panic-selling on dips. Instead, identifying projects with real use cases, sustainable economics, and strong communities has become the foundation of long-term success.

For traders and builders alike, the current landscape offers both challenges and opportunities. Risk-adjusted returns are key, and disciplined portfolio rebalancing could be one of the most underrated strategies right now.

As we continue monitoring market signals, we remain committed to surfacing actionable insights backed by real-time data, not just narratives. Whether the next breakout is weeks or months away, staying informed — and unemotional — may prove to be your best edge.

How Token Metrics Helps in a Neutral Market Environment:

In times of neutral momentum, making profitable crypto decisions becomes more complex — and that's where Token Metrics shines:

1. Actionable AI Signals:
   Token Metrics scans thousands of tokens daily, using over 80 data points to identify bullish and bearish trends even when market sentiment is flat. This helps users cut through noise and act on real opportunities.
   ‍
2. Investor & Trader Grades:
   When hype fades, fundamentals matter. Our proprietary grades evaluate both short-term momentum and long-term viability, helping users discover tokens with staying power — not just temporary pumps.
   ‍
3. Smart Rebalancing Alerts:
   In a consolidating market, maintaining the right portfolio mix is crucial. Token Metrics' indices and alerts help users rebalance regularly to lock in gains and minimize downside risks.
   ‍
4. Sector-Based Insights:
   With DeFi, AI, and meme coins behaving differently, Token Metrics allows users to dive deep into sector-specific analytics — so you can position ahead of capital flows.
   ‍
5. Sentiment & Volume Monitoring:
   Our platform tracks shifts in on-chain activity, social sentiment, and volume trends to spot early signs of market reversals — especially useful when traditional signals stall.

In a market where being early beats being emotional, Token Metrics equips you with the clarity and tools to trade with confidence.

Introducing the Token Metrics API: Power Your Crypto Tools with AI-Driven Intelligence

We’re thrilled to announce one of our most important product launches to date: the Token Metrics API is now live.

This powerful crypto API gives developers, quant traders, and crypto startups direct access to the core AI infrastructure that powers the Token Metrics platform. Whether you’re building trading agents, investor dashboards, research tools, or mobile apps, our API and SDKs provide everything you need to build with real-time crypto data and intelligence—right out of the box.

For the first time, you can plug into the same AI API that drives our ratings, signals, and predictions—and embed it directly into your products, tools, or internal systems.

🔍 What’s Inside the Token Metrics API?

Our crypto API is designed to give you high-performance access to the exact data models we use in-house:

✅ AI Trading Signals

Access bullish and bearish calls across thousands of tokens. These API endpoints are powered by machine learning models trained on historical price action, sentiment data, and blockchain activity.

✅ Investor & Trader Grades

Through our API, you can pull dynamic 0–100 grades on any token. Designed for long-term or short-term views, these scores factor in volatility, momentum, market cap trends, and our proprietary AI predictions.

✅ AI Reports & Conversation Crypto Agent

Query the API to generate custom reports and insights using our smart crypto assistant. Analyze market trends, token health, and investment opportunities—without writing your own models.

✅ Token Performance Data

Retrieve token-level analytics like ROI, predictive volatility, and asset rankings. Perfect for powering dashboards, investor tools, or internal models.

✅ Market Sentiment Models

Use the API to access our AI-modeled sentiment engine, built from social media, news data, and trend signals—ideal for gauging crowd psychology.

All Token Metrics API endpoints are RESTful, fast, and easy to integrate. SDKs for Python, Node.js, and other environments help developers onboard quickly.

🛠️ What You Can Build With the Token Metrics API

Our users are already building next-gen tools and automation using the Token Metrics API:

• 🤖 CEX Trading Agents — Automate entries and exits with real-time signals and token grades
  
• ⛓️ DEX Arbitrage Engines — Scan price differences across DeFi and act instantly
  
• 📊 Analytics Dashboards — Build data-driven tools with predictive metrics and visualizations
  
• 💬 Alert Bots for Telegram & Discord — Deliver actionable alerts using our signal API
  
• 📱 Web & Mobile Crypto Apps — Enhance portfolios and research apps with AI intelligence
  

With just a few lines of code and an API key, you can turn static crypto apps into dynamic, intelligent systems.

💸 Affordable Pricing & $TMAI Utility

We’ve designed our crypto API pricing to be flexible and accessible:

• Plans start at $99/month, with high usage limits
  
• Save up to 35% when you pay with our native token, $TMAI
  
• All tiers include access to powerful AI tools and real-time crypto data
  

Whether you're a solo dev or scaling a trading startup, there’s a plan built for you. Paying with $TMAI also deepens your utility in the Token Metrics ecosystem—this is just the beginning of native token perks.

🧪 Try the Token Metrics API for Free

Not ready to commit? Try our free API tier with:

• Limited endpoints to explore
  
• Access to live documentation and test queries
  
• Sample code and SDKs for instant implementation
  

Start exploring at tokenmetrics.com/api

🌐 Why We Built This Crypto API

Token Metrics has always been focused on empowering smarter investing. But as the market evolves, we believe the future lies in infrastructure, automation, and open access.

That’s why we built the Token Metrics API—to give developers access to the exact AI systems we use ourselves. Our models have been fine-tuned over years, and now, that same intelligence can power your platform, tools, or trading agents.

Whether you're building research platforms, signal-based apps, or automated execution tools—this API is your edge.

⚡ Start Building with Token Metrics API for FREE→ tokenmetrics.com/api

The crypto market never sleeps—and with the Token Metrics API, neither do your tools.

Introduction
With thousands of crypto tokens flooding the market, finding the best-performing assets can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Token Metrics is solving this with a revamped Market Page experience — designed to surface top signals faster and help users make smarter trading decisions.

Why the Market Page Matters
The Market Page is the heartbeat of Token Metrics' analytics platform. It showcases real-time data on the latest bullish and bearish signals across tokens, providing users with instant access to the platform’s top-rated opportunities. With the recent update, it’s now more powerful and user-friendly than ever.

What’s New in the Market Page?

1. Top-Performing Signals First – The layout now prioritizes tokens with the highest ROI bold signals. This means the most alpha-generating opportunities are surfaced first — saving users valuable time.
   
2. Smarter Filters – Users can sort by return, grade, time frame, and signal type. Want only tokens with a Trader Grade above 80? Just one click away.
   
3. Improved Visuals – A cleaner UI now highlights key metrics like entry price, ROI since signal, and latest update date.
   

How It Helps Traders
This upgrade isn't just cosmetic. It fundamentally changes how traders interact with the platform:

• Faster decision-making by highlighting the best signals up front
  
• Better precision using advanced filters for investor profiles
  
• Increased confidence from seeing clear data behind every signal
  

Case Study: Launch Coin
Launch Coin, the best performing token in 2025 with a 35x return, was identified early thanks to the Market Page’s bold signal tracking. Its signal rose to the top immediately after performance started climbing — helping early users lock in life-changing gains.

How to Use the Market Page Like a Pro

1. Visit the Market Page daily to track new signal updates
   
2. Filter by 24H/7D ROI to catch fast movers
   
3. Use Grades to Align with Your Strategy
   
4. Follow Narratives: Filter by AI, DeFi, Gaming, and other emerging themes
   

The Power of Daily Signals
With market conditions changing fast, the daily updates on the Market Page give Token Metrics users an edge — surfacing fresh opportunities before they trend on social media or make headlines.

Conclusion
The new Market Page isn’t just a dashboard — it’s a discovery engine. Designed for both beginner and experienced traders, it brings clarity, speed, and precision to crypto investing.

Introduction
In the ever-evolving world of crypto, understanding the cyclical relationship between Bitcoin and altcoins is crucial for successful trading. During Token Metrics’ latest market update, Ian Balina highlighted key indicators pointing to a shift in momentum — possibly signaling the return of an altcoin season.

What Is Altcoin Season?
Altcoin season is a period in the crypto market where altcoins outperform Bitcoin in terms of price gains. Historically, this shift occurs when Bitcoin stabilizes after a rally, giving room for capital rotation into smaller-cap tokens with higher risk/reward potential.

Bitcoin’s Dominance and the Signs of Rotation
As of May 2025, Bitcoin remains a market anchor, but its dominance is showing signs of plateauing. Ian pointed out that capital is beginning to flow into AI tokens, new infrastructure plays, and community-driven projects like Launchcoin — which has already returned 35x gains. These trends are classic precursors to altcoin season.

Top Performing Altcoins Identified by Token Metrics
Token Metrics’ bold signals have identified several high-performing altcoins, such as:

• Launchcoin: 35x gain since the signal triggered.
  
• AI Infrastructure Tokens: Benefiting from the broader AI narrative in crypto.
  
• DeFi 2.0 Protocols: Getting renewed attention amid institutional interest.
  

Key Indicators to Watch

1. Bitcoin Dominance Chart – A drop below 50% dominance often precedes altcoin rallies.
   
2. Volume Trends – Increasing volume on altcoin pairs indicates rising interest.
   
3. Token Metrics Grades – Look for altcoins with high Trader and Investor Grades — a dual signal of short- and long-term strength.
   

How to Prepare Your Portfolio
Traders should consider gradual rotation — locking in BTC gains and reallocating to top-rated altcoins. Using Token Metrics’ tools:

• Monitor daily signal updates
  
• Filter by Trader Grade > 80 and recent bold signals
  
• Keep an eye on AI and DeFi narratives, as they dominate 2025’s momentum
  

Conclusion
Whether we’re entering a full-blown altcoin season or just a mini-cycle, the signals are clear: capital is rotating. Use data, not guesswork. With Token Metrics’ AI-powered tools, you can identify high-potential opportunities and stay ahead of the curve in both Bitcoin and altcoin markets.

Introduction
AI is no longer just a tech buzzword — it’s a dominant force driving the next wave of crypto innovation. In 2025, artificial intelligence has found a new frontier: blockchain. From infrastructure protocols to AI-native tokens, the market is seeing a surge in interest, investment, and returns for coins tied to the AI narrative. Token Metrics is at the forefront, helping users identify these explosive opportunities.

Why AI Coins Are Surging
The intersection of AI and crypto isn’t random. Three forces are converging to power this narrative:

1. Mainstream AI Adoption – With tools like ChatGPT and Claude going mainstream, interest in AI has exploded.
   
2. Decentralized Intelligence – Blockchain offers a secure, transparent way to distribute AI models and datasets.
   
3. Speculative Momentum – The hype around AI is creating high-risk, high-reward token launches with strong upside potential.
   

Token Metrics’ AI Token Detection Strategy
Token Metrics uses its proprietary AI to identify early momentum in the market. Here's how it helped surface the best-performing AI tokens:

• Volume spikes and unusual trading patterns
  
• Token grades showing >80 Trader Score
  
• Bold signals based on narrative tracking
  
• Cross-chain analysis for upcoming projects
  

Ian Balina noted during the recent webinar that several AI coins have already delivered outsized returns — and this is just the beginning.

Examples of AI Tokens to Watch

• Launch Coin – While not an AI token itself, its virality shows how fast narratives spread.
  
• AI Infrastructure Projects – Platforms building decentralized compute for training and deploying models.
  
• AI DeFi Hybrids – Tokens merging machine learning with trading, risk management, or yield optimization.
  

How to Ride the AI Wave
Using the Token Metrics platform, here’s how to position your portfolio:

• Use Bold Signals: Sort by AI narrative to find breakout projects.
  
• Set Alerts: Monitor new signal generation across top AI narratives.
  
• Filter by Grade: Combine high Trader Grade with AI tag for high-conviction trades.
  

What This Means for Investors
The AI narrative is not a flash in the pan. It represents a paradigm shift in both technology and finance. Tokens that combine utility, vision, and timing will thrive. As always, early entry is key — and that’s where Token Metrics’ daily insights give users the edge.

Conclusion
AI tokens are fueling the next crypto bull run — and the smartest investors are already positioned. With real-time signals, narrative filters, and AI-powered grading, Token Metrics is your map through the chaos. The next big opportunity may already be on the Market Page.

The crypto world thrives on narratives, and few have captured attention in recent weeks like Launchcoin. Born from a blend of SocialFi innovation and meme-driven virality, Launchcoin has surged into the spotlight—offering both eye-popping returns and warnings of extreme volatility. Powered by Token Metrics’ AI insights, here’s a detailed look at where Launchcoin stands today.

🚀 AI Detected the Breakout Early

On April 20, 2025, Token Metrics’ proprietary AI model flipped bullish on Launchcoin. Since then, the token has rallied over 3x, proving the strength of the signal. Backed by machine learning models that track on-chain data, sentiment, and price action across multiple timeframes, the Trader Grade for Launchcoin is currently at a whopping 93.15%, designating it a Strong Buy in the short term.

However, after such an exponential surge, the platform’s analysts expect natural pullbacks as early buyers and whales begin to take profits. These corrections are healthy and expected in any meteoric price run—and should not be confused with a loss of fundamental strength.

🧠 Token Metrics Investor Grade: A Balanced Perspective

While short-term indicators are overwhelmingly bullish, the Investor Grade remains neutral, pointing to a more measured view on Launchcoin’s long-term potential. This signals that while there’s momentum, there are still structural risks—particularly due to its meme coin characteristics and reliance on hype cycles.

Still, a neutral long-term grade isn’t bearish. It suggests Launchcoin is currently stable at its elevated valuation, but investors should monitor developments carefully—especially as new features and ecosystem growth unfold.

📈 Launchcoin’s Wild Ride: From 54 SOL to $4 Million

The Launchcoin story has already minted millionaires. One trader reportedly turned an $8,191 investment (54 SOL) into $4 million after purchasing 14.62 million LAUNCHCOIN tokens when the market cap was below $500,000. This kind of exponential return is rare—even in crypto—and helped drive speculative interest across social media and trading forums.

Within just 22 days, Launchcoin’s market cap crossed $300 million, illustrating how quickly meme-based projects can capture market momentum, especially when they ride the wave of a compelling narrative.

🔄 Listings and Market Access

Launchcoin’s liquidity and accessibility have improved significantly. The token is now trading on major centralized exchanges:

• Spot listings: Bitget, KuCoin, Gate.io, and MEXC
• Futures: Recently launched on ByBit

These listings have broadened exposure, attracting a wider investor base and allowing leveraged traders to participate. Increased liquidity also reduces slippage, enabling larger capital inflows while minimizing execution risk.

🎭 From PASTERNAK to LAUNCHCOIN: The Rebranding

Initially launched as PASTERNAK, named after Believe’s founder Ben Pasternak, the project was rebranded to Launchcoin on May 2, 2025. The new name better reflects its core value proposition: empowering creators to launch tokens through a SocialFi model.

The model is simple but revolutionary—anyone can create a token by posting on social media with the “@launchcoin” tag. This lowers the barrier for entry into token creation and adds viral potential to every social interaction.

🧨 Risk and Volatility: A Speculative Bet

Despite its recent success, Launchcoin remains a highly speculative asset. Its meteoric rise is reminiscent of meme coin cycles seen with tokens like PEPE or DOGE. While Launchcoin offers a unique utility layer with its token-creation feature, its current valuation includes a significant hype premium.

Token Metrics encourages traders to stay nimble. With the AI trading signals, users can track grade changes in real-time, ensuring they’re not caught off guard by sharp reversals or cooldowns.

🧠 Final Thoughts

Launchcoin represents a blend of viral marketing, social token innovation, and AI-predicted trading opportunity. With strong short-term momentum, neutral long-term positioning, and significant ecosystem buzz, it’s a token to watch—but not without caution.

Whether you’re a trader riding the momentum or an investor assessing long-term viability, Token Metrics provides the data-driven edge to navigate Launchcoin’s volatility with confidence.