Terra (LUNA) Surpasses Solana (SOL) To Become 6th Largest Cryptocurrency

Terra (LUNA) overtook Cardano (ADA) on Wednesday to become the sixth-largest crypto token by market capitalization.
By Ambar Warrick
LUNC News: TGF Submits Terra Classic Recovery Proposal 10946

Terra (LUNA), the native token on the eponymous blockchain, overtook Solana (SOL) on Wednesday to become the sixth-largest crypto token by market capitalization. LUNA also hit a record high as its DeFi adoption soared.

LUNA jumped as much as 5%, briefly hitting a record high of $119.10, with its market capitalization standing at $41.3 billion. Its most recent spike can be attributed to Binance offering UST staking at a nearly 20% yield.

The token is on a tear after hitting its 2022 lows in February.  A bulk of its is fuelled by the growing popularity of UST and the popularity of the Terra blockchain as a DeFi platform.

 

Advertisement
Advertisement

DeFi growth a key factor in LUNA rally

Terra’s popularity in the DeFi space is supported by the community’s efforts to maintain liquidity. Terra is currently the second-largest DeFi blockchain by total value locked, which stands at $21 billion. 

This in turn boosted the use of LUNA, given that it is the primary medium for transacting on the chain.

Terra’s Anchor Protocol (ANC), the biggest protocol on the chain, has also surged in popularity by offering the biggest yields in DeFi, at nearly 20%. Although the platform recently voted to reduce yields, it still commands over $16 billion in TVL- the third-highest among DeFi platforms.

Additionally, the Terra community regularly burns LUNA to mint UST- a move that reduces LUNA’s overall supply and boosts its price. According to data from Terra Analytics, nearly three million tokens were burnt in the past five days. This brings LUNA’s total supply down to a record low of 351 million tokens.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Terra eyes stablecoin dominance

Terra founder Do Kwon has repeatedly expressed his goal of making UST the most popular stablecoin. To this end, the Terra community has consistently acquired Bitcoin (BTC) to use as a reserve for UST- a move that has also boosted LUNA’s popularity.

The goal is not to become the largest stablecoin on the Terra blockchain, so we expand to say the Solana, Avalanche, Ethereum, and Polygon ecosystems. We plan to be everywhere where there are developers and users.

Kwon said in a recent interview.

UST is the largest algorithmically-backed stablecoin, which uses a mix of reserves and tokenomics to maintain its dollar peg.

Kwon intends to accumulate as much as $10 billion worth of BTC to use as reserves. This move would be positive for LUNA, as it ensures enough liquidity on all of Terra’s DeFi protocols.

So far, the Terra community has acquired at least $3 billion worth of Bitcoin.

 

Advertisement
Ambar Warrick
With more than five years of experience covering global financial markets, Ambar intends to leverage this knowledge towards the rapidly expanding world of crypto and DeFi. His interest lies chiefly in finding how geopolitical developments can impact crypto markets, and what that could mean for your bitcoin holdings. When he isn't trawling through the web for the latest breaking news, you can find him playing videogames or watching Seinfeld reruns. You can reach him at [email protected]
Why trust CoinGape: CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights to our readers. Our journalists and analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.
Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
Ad Disclosure: This site may feature sponsored content and affiliate links. All advertisements are clearly labeled, and ad partners have no influence over our editorial content.