As XRP stabilizes around $2.70 and the broader crypto market catches its breath, a wave of smaller altcoins is stealing the spotlight, led by a 95.3% surge in Kyber Network Crystal (KNC).
Kyber Network’s explosive rally follows the late-May launch of its crosschain platform, with CEO Victor Tran touting the team’s long-term resilience and development consistency. The altcoin’s breakout underscores a broader trend of niche tokens outperforming in a sideways market, with Altcoin and meme token Kori also seeing triple-digit gains over the past week.
But while some projects cite platform launches and teasers as catalysts, others appear to ride on hype alone—raising questions about sustainability as traders chase momentum.
‘Everyone keeps working hard‘
Kyber Network Crystal, over the last 24 hours, reached $0.6118 from a low of $0.3131. The surge comes months after Kyber Network launched its KyberSwap Crosschain platform in late May.
Tran took to X to address the token’s notable performance. He also posted a screenshot of the surge alongside a message emphasizing the team’s dedication.
“Nothing changed, everyone keeps working hard as we have been for 8 years. We want to prove OG teams will win in the long run. @KyberNetwork”
This statement appears to position Kyber Network as a veteran project that has weathered multiple market cycles. He also suggested that sustained development and team commitment are finally being recognized by the market.
Second on the top gainers list is Altcoin which has surged 86.8% over the past 24 hours, reaching $0.08106 from $0.03835. The project has also posted a cryptic announcement teasing developments for next week.
While details remain scarce, such forward-looking statements often drive speculative buying as traders position ahead of potential news.
However, ALT has faced technical issues with price tracking. The project’s X account addressed concerns about incorrect price displays: “Hey coingecko, please correct the price for $ALT on your platform. You’re displaying the price of the wrong ALT token, which is completely unrelated to us and it’s impacting the community.”
Third on the list is Kori, which has climbed 68.5% in the last 24 hours, trading at $0.04098 from $0.02285. The meme coin has shown remarkable longer-term performance, surging over 1,600% in the last 30 days and 485% in the past week.
Despite the price action, there haven’t been any notable developments from the project that would explain such massive gains. The token has been trending on X, which appears to be the primary driver behind its momentum.
The current altcoin surge occurs against a backdrop of market stabilization. XRP (XRP) has cooled down from its recent rally and is now trading in the $2.7 range, while Solana (SOL) maintains its position around $160.
However, traders should approach these high-flying tokens with caution. While KNC has clear catalysts in the form of product launches and team statements, tokens like KORI appear to be driven primarily by social media hype without fundamental backing.
