Crypto Index Tracker – DeFi and Privacy Coins Lead Gains

Daily HodlPublished on 2022-03-21Last updated on 2022-03-21

Abstract

Crypto markets have been choppy over the past week. Several regulatory news headlines contributed...

Crypto markets have been choppy over the past week. Several regulatory news headlines contributed to the moves. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on cryptocurrency policy which is designed to support ‘responsible innovation,’ and MEPs in the EU voted against a proposed bill to limit proof-of-work-based cryptocurrencies. These are positive signs for crypto but it still seems unable to shrug off its correlation to equity markets amid the Russia-Ukraine tensions.
As for the specific coin performance, we see variation across sectors. Our DeFi index and our privacy index are up the most at around 10% each (see charts one and two). Our Bitcoin index and our smart contract index are up four-percent and two-percent, respectively. Lastly, our metaverse index is the only one to have registered losses week on week – it’s down three-percent.

  • Smart contract platform index – Terra (LUNA) is up the most at 21%, and Fantom (FTM) is down the most at 18%. Ethereum (ETH) is up four-percent.
  • DeFi index – Thorchain (RUNE) is up the most at a staggering 70%. Meanwhile, PancakeSwap (CAKE) is down the most at five-percent.
  • Metaverse index – Axie Infinity (AXS) is up the most at three-percent, and RedFox Labs (RFOX) is down the most at 13%.
  • Privacy index – Zcash (SEC) is up the most at 35%, and Keep Network (KEEP) down the most at six-percent.
  • Bitcoin index – This is up four-percent.

What are in the four indices?
Here are the indices in more detail.

  • Bitcoin: The OG of crypto markets deserves its own category and is in many ways the true benchmark for any other crypto market.
  • Smart contract platforms – After Bitcoin, the big innovation was to have blockchains that were more programmable. These could host smart contracts or decentralized applications and have allowed the emergence of the metaverse and DeFi. Ethereum (ETH) is the most popular version of a smart contract platform. As well as Ethereum, we also include some key competitors. The constituents of this index are Ethereum (ETH), Cardano (ADA), Avalanche (AVAX), Solana (SOL), Fantom (FTM), VeChain (VET), Terra (LUNA), EOS (EOS) and Chainlink (LINK). We also include Polkadot (DOT), which allows interoperability between blockchains and the use of smart contracts via parachains.
  • Metaverse – Coins associated with the creation of a virtual space/digital world on the internet using a combination of augmented reality, virtual reality and social networks. The constituents of this index are Axie Infinity (AXS), The Sandbox (SAND), Decentraland (MANA), Enjin Coin (ENJ), Aavegotchi (GHST), Terra Virtua Kolect (TVK), Ultra (UOS), Phantasma (SOUL), RedFOX Labs (RFOX) and Gala (GALA).
  • Decentralized Finance (DeFi) – Financial services built on top of blockchain networks with no central intermediaries. This can be a broad category, so we narrow this down to platforms that focus on lending/borrowing, yield farming, automated market making and decentralized exchange tokens. The constituents of this index are Aave (AAVE), Compound (COMP), Uniswap (UNI), Yearn.finance (YFI), Loopring (LRC), PancakeSwap (CAKE), Maker (MKR), 1inch (1INCH), Thorchain (RUNE) and Terra (LUNA).
  • Privacy coins – Coins that obscure transactions on the blockchain to maintain the anonymity of its users and their activity. The constituents of this index are Monero (XMR), Zcash (SEC), Dash (DASH), Verge (XVG), Horizen (ZEN), Beam (BEAM), Secret (SCRT), Decred (DCR), Keep Network (KEEP) and Dusk Network (DUSK).

Related Reads

BREAKING: Mastercard Just Opened Its Global Payment Network To Crypto — Which Altcoins Made The Cut?

Mastercard announced the expansion of its global settlement infrastructure to support on-chain settlement using regulated stablecoins. This enables card transactions to settle 24/7, eliminating delays from traditional banking hours. The initial rollout supports six stablecoins—USDC, PYUSD, USDG, USDP, RLUSD, and SoFiUSD—across eight blockchains, including Ethereum, Solana, and the XRP Ledger. The service is launching with partners in the U.S. and Latin America. This is a back-end settlement upgrade, not a consumer-facing change, allowing network partners to optionally use blockchain rails while traditional fiat settlement remains available.

bitcoinist14m ago

BREAKING: Mastercard Just Opened Its Global Payment Network To Crypto — Which Altcoins Made The Cut?

bitcoinist14m ago

Analyst Who Predicted The Bitcoin Crash from $82,000 Reveals What’s Next

A crypto analyst known as Tony, who previously predicted Bitcoin's drop from around $82,000, shares his outlook for the leading cryptocurrency. He asserts that Bitcoin is currently in a bear cycle and is likely to decline further, potentially setting new lows this year. Tony points to technical factors like the 200-day moving average and Fibonacci levels as resistance. He outlines a potential scenario where Bitcoin could see a fake breakout above $85,000 to trap retail traders before falling to new lows. His chart analysis suggests possible declines to around $50,000 by July, with a cycle bottom potentially below $40,000. Tony notes that while short-term bounces, possibly from the $67,000 region, could occur, the main trend remains downward. Another analyst, Colin, suggests the $65,000-$66,000 range might offer short-term support for a bounce but reiterates that a retest of $60,000 and lower is still likely, as Bitcoin has not yet seen the typical >70% decline from its peak observed in past bear cycles. Bitcoin is currently trading around $66,300.

bitcoinist28m ago

Analyst Who Predicted The Bitcoin Crash from $82,000 Reveals What’s Next

bitcoinist28m ago

Hoskinson Warns Of Cardano ‘Wave of Failures’ After TapTools Shutdown

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson warns the ecosystem could face a "wave of failures" following the shutdown announcement of data and analytics platform TapTools. Citing leadership departures and unsustainable platform economics, TapTools is winding down operations despite serving over a million users. Hoskinson framed this not as an isolated incident but as a symptom of broader funding, coordination, and incentive problems within Cardano. He predicts more project failures in the second half of the year due to difficult market conditions. Hoskinson expressed frustration that proposed solutions, like a sovereign wealth fund or strategic acquisitions, have failed to gain sufficient support or faced criticism for centralization. He emphasized his lack of unilateral control over Cardano's governance, treasury, or direction, shifting responsibility to DReps and delegators to choose a clear growth strategy. The livestream concluded with a critique of Cardano's political culture and a discussion of potential extreme measures, including governance reform or even a new chain, if the current structure cannot support builders.

bitcoinist1h ago

Hoskinson Warns Of Cardano ‘Wave of Failures’ After TapTools Shutdown

bitcoinist1h ago

The Rally That Wasn't

The article analyzes Bitcoin's sharp decline amid a shift in macroeconomic expectations, with strong US job data leading markets to price out Fed rate cuts. Bitcoin fell 13% to around $67,000, triggering significant outflows from US spot ETFs and indicating institutional de-risking. On-chain data confirms a bearish structure. Price has dropped back into the "bear market range," with the Short-Term Holder Cost Basis falling below a key mean level—a pattern last seen in early 2022. The profitability bias has collapsed, with loss realization now dominating, mirroring a panic wave from February. Recent buyers who accumulated near the $82k top are under pressure, and loss realization is accelerating across both short-term and long-term holder cohorts. Off-chain, the rally failed at the aggregate US ETF cost basis near $83k, turning it into resistance. Spot market demand has deteriorated sharply, with sellers dominating order books. While a major long liquidation event cleared over $400M in leverage, spot buyers have not returned to absorb supply. Options markets show sustained demand for downside protection (elevated put premiums) but not panic, with volatility premiums near three-month highs. The conclusion is that the market remains fragile, with overhead supply from trapped ETF investors, weak spot demand, and accelerating losses. Without a return of spot buying and a reclaim of key cost bases, Bitcoin is vulnerable to further downside within the prevailing bear market structure.

insights.glassnode2h ago

The Rally That Wasn't

insights.glassnode2h ago

WLFI Raises Alert: Sanctioned Wallets Could Trigger Crypto Transfer Blocks

World Liberty Financial (WLFI), a crypto venture linked to Donald Trump, has issued a compliance warning stating that transactions involving sanctioned individuals, entities, or wallet addresses may be blocked or restricted to meet regulatory obligations. This follows prior scrutiny from US senators over its presale screenings and coincides with new US Treasury sanctions against Iranian crypto exchanges. WLFI asserts it employs strict AML checks, but its admission that its smart contracts hold hard-coded powers to freeze or burn funds challenges its DeFi branding. The warning underscores the tension between operating on public blockchains and complying with federal prohibitions on transactions.

bitcoinist2h ago

WLFI Raises Alert: Sanctioned Wallets Could Trigger Crypto Transfer Blocks

bitcoinist2h ago

Trading

Spot
Futures

Hot Articles

What is $BITCOIN

DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN): A Comprehensive Analysis Introduction to DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) is a blockchain-based project operating on the Solana network, which aims to combine the characteristics of traditional precious metals with the innovation of decentralized technologies. While it shares a name with Bitcoin, often referred to as “digital gold” due to its perception as a store of value, DIGITAL GOLD is a separate token designed to create a unique ecosystem within the Web3 landscape. Its goal is to position itself as a viable alternative digital asset, although specifics regarding its applications and functionalities are still developing. What is DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) is a cryptocurrency token explicitly designed for use on the Solana blockchain. In contrast to Bitcoin, which provides a widely recognized value storage role, this token appears to focus on broader applications and characteristics. Notable aspects include: Blockchain Infrastructure: The token is built on the Solana blockchain, known for its capacity to handle high-speed and low-cost transactions. Supply Dynamics: DIGITAL GOLD has a maximum supply capped at 100 quadrillion tokens (100P $BITCOIN), although details regarding its circulating supply are currently undisclosed. Utility: While precise functionalities are not explicitly outlined, there are indications that the token could be utilized for various applications, potentially involving decentralized applications (dApps) or asset tokenization strategies. Who is the Creator of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? At present, the identity of the creators and development team behind DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) remains unknown. This situation is typical among many innovative projects within the blockchain space, particularly those aligning with decentralized finance and meme coin phenomena. While such anonymity may foster a community-driven culture, it intensifies concerns about governance and accountability. Who are the Investors of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN)? The available information indicates that DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) does not have any known institutional backers or prominent venture capital investments. The project seems to operate on a peer-to-peer model focused on community support and adoption rather than traditional funding routes. Its activity and liquidity are primarily situated on decentralized exchanges (DEXs), such as PumpSwap, rather than established centralized trading platforms, further highlighting its grassroots approach. How DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) Works The operational mechanics of DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) can be elaborated on based on its blockchain design and network attributes: Consensus Mechanism: By leveraging Solana’s unique proof-of-history (PoH) combined with a proof-of-stake (PoS) model, the project ensures efficient transaction validation contributing to the network's high performance. Tokenomics: While specific deflationary mechanisms have not been extensively detailed, the vast maximum token supply implies that it may cater to microtransactions or niche use cases that are still to be defined. Interoperability: There exists the potential for integration with Solana’s broader ecosystem, including various decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms. However, the details regarding specific integrations remain unspecified. Timeline of Key Events Here is a timeline that highlights significant milestones concerning DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN): 2023: The initial deployment of the token occurs on the Solana blockchain, marked by its contract address. 2024: DIGITAL GOLD gains visibility as it becomes available for trading on decentralized exchanges like PumpSwap, allowing users to trade it against SOL. 2025: The project witnesses sporadic trading activity and potential interest in community-led engagements, although no noteworthy partnerships or technical advancements have been documented as of yet. Critical Analysis Strengths Scalability: The underlying Solana infrastructure supports high transaction volumes, which could enhance the utility of $BITCOIN in various transaction scenarios. Accessibility: The potential low trading price per token could attract retail investors, facilitating wider participation due to fractional ownership opportunities. Risks Lack of Transparency: The absence of publicly known backers, developers, or an audit process may yield skepticism regarding the project's sustainability and trustworthiness. Market Volatility: The trading activity is heavily reliant on speculative behavior, which can result in significant price volatility and uncertainty for investors. Conclusion DIGITAL GOLD ($BITCOIN) emerges as an intriguing yet ambiguous project within the rapidly evolving Solana ecosystem. While it attempts to leverage the “digital gold” narrative, its departure from Bitcoin's established role as a store of value underscores the need for a clearer differentiation of its intended utility and governance structure. Future acceptance and adoption will likely depend on addressing the current opacity and defining its operational and economic strategies more explicitly. Note: This report encompasses synthesised information available as of October 2023, and developments may have transpired beyond the research period.

363 Total ViewsPublished 2025.05.13Updated 2025.05.13

What is $BITCOIN

Discussions

Welcome to the HTX Community. Here, you can stay informed about the latest platform developments and gain access to professional market insights. Users' opinions on the price of BTC (BTC) are presented below.

活动图片

Top Questions

Hot Categoriesright-arrow

Hot Tagsright-arrow