Crypto market’s weekly winners and losers – DASH, IP, POL, NIGHT

ambcryptoPublished on 2026-01-18Last updated on 2026-01-18

Abstract

The cryptocurrency market saw significant volatility this week, with Bitcoin and Ethereum posting gains of nearly 5% and 7%, respectively. However, altcoins delivered more dramatic moves. Dash (DASH) was the standout performer, surging 115% to trade around $80, driven by strong bullish momentum and heightened interest in privacy coins. Story (IP) also ended positively with a 20% gain, despite cooling from midweek highs. Pump.fun (PUMP) rose 17% following a platform upgrade but failed to sustain higher levels. Other notable winners included Monero (XMR), up 16%, Internet Computer (ICP), gaining 25%, and Chiliz (CHZ), climbing 24%. On the losing side, Polygon (POL) fell nearly 14% due to profit-taking after a previous rally. Memecore (M) declined 11% amid reduced meme coin hype, while Midnight (NIGHT) dropped 12%, breaking key support levels. Additional losers included Bitcoin Cash (BCH), down 8%, XDC Network (XDC), falling 9%, and Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL), which saw the largest drop at 11%. The week highlighted the market's volatility, with rapid gains and pullbacks underscoring the importance of risk management.

Another week in crypto, and it did not disappoint. Bitcoin [BTC] and Ethereum [ETH] did their part this week, posting gains of nearly 5% and 7%, respectively.

But what about everyone else? Grab your drink of choice, and here’s a quick rundown of the market’s big winners and losers this week.

Weekly winners

Dash [DASH] leads with the surge of a lifetime!

Dash [DASH] was THE standout performer this week, with weekly gains of 115%! The coin went from the low $30s to trade at the $80 mark at press time.

Source: TradingView

On the daily chart, DASH pushed firmly above its EMAs, so traders are bullish. The RSI implied overbought conditions after the rally, while the MACD remained positive despite signs of flattening.

Dash is now among the strongest privacy-coin rallies seen so far in this cycle. Interest in financial privacy is causing aggressive upside in the space and is expected to grow further.

Story [IP] cools, but weekly gains hold

Story [IP] also ended the week in positive territory, rising by roughly 20% to trade near $2.74 at press time. The token saw a midweek surge toward the $3.80-$4.00 zone before facing selling pressure, having fallen since.

Momentum appeared to stabilize, with the RSI at around 56. CMF was positive, with modest capital inflows despite the retracement.

This is a classic cooldown after a fast rally, with buyers still defending higher levels into the weekly close.

Pump.fun [PUMP] slows after upgrade-driven spike

Pump.fun [PUMP] saw a brief uptick this week following the launch of the network’s new creator callout feature, which allows creators to share trending coins with their followers.

The token gained about 17% this week, but that was after it failed to hold more gains.

At the time of writing, RSI was moderately bullish with minimal overheating. MACD was marginally positive, though momentum was slowing.

While the update boosted short-term engagement and trading activity, it seems traders still aren’t sure about chasing follow-through beyond the initial announcement-driven move.

Other notable winners

Beyond the top movers, several altcoins posted gains this week. Monero [XMR] surged by roughly 16%, riding the privacy and censorship-resistance demand wave.

Internet Computer [ICP] followed with a strong 25% jump. Chiliz [CHZ] also stood out, climbing about 24% as activity around fan tokens and sports-related crypto picked up.

Weekly losers

Polygon [POL] — Profit taking begins after last week’s rally

Polygon [POL] slipped into the losers column this week after a big change from last week’s sprint. The token fell by nearly 14% over the week, retreating to trade around $0.142 at press time.

Source: TradingView

The decline comes just a week after POL surged close to 50%, making this fall notable. Selling pressure seems to have picked up steadily, with the RSI showing fading bullishness.

The MACD also flattened and went lower. POL’s move seems caused by profit-taking after an aggressive rally, with traders locking in gains.

Memecore [M] falls with lesser meme hype

Memecore slipped further, posting a near 11% weekly decline with weakening bullish momentum. At press time, the token was trading around $1.55 after failing to reclaim the $1.60-$1.62 zone, where multiple MAs converged.

Price remained below key short-term EMAs, so there’s greater selling pressure. The RSI showed a loss of upside strength.

With buyers struggling to defend higher levels, Memecore’s fall shows decreasing speculative interest. Traders are perhaps becoming picky with where their money goes.

Midnight [NIGHT]’s support breaks as sellers take the reins

Midnight [NIGHT] slid roughly 12% this week, an extension of the short-term downtrend.

The token dropped from the $0.070-$0.072 range to around $0.0617 at press time, a clear breakdown below prior consolidation support. Consecutive red candles mean selling pressure, with no meaningful bounce attempts.

The RSI proved weak pace, while leaving room for further downside. Meanwhile, CMF went deep into negative territory, with persistent capital outflows.

Unless NIGHT can reclaim the $0.065-$0.067 zone, bearish control is likely to remain intact.

Other notable losers

There were more losses than gains this week. Bitcoin Cash [BCH] slipped nearly 8%, while XDC Network [XDC] fell around 9%.

Virtuals Protocol [VIRTUAL] saw the biggest drop among this group, down roughly 11%. The risk-off behavior is very selective.

All in all…

… It was one of those weeks, with big pumps, pullbacks, and charts that probably ruined someone’s sleep schedule.

While the popular kids stayed steady, the rest of the market reminded us why this is not for the faint-hearted. As always, things change quickly, and last week’s winner can easily become next week’s cautionary tale.

DYOR, manage your risk, and we’ll see you next week!

Final Thoughts

Altcoins stole the spotlight this week, with Dash’s 115% taking the lead.
Profit-taking is back in play, as several recent high-flyers corrected greatly.

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