TokenPost.ai
Cryptocurrency prices pushed higher early Monday, with Bitcoin (BTC) holding above $78,000 and Ethereum (ETH) outperforming most large-cap tokens—signals of improving risk appetite even as activity in DeFi and stablecoins cooled.
As of 4:04 p.m. Sunday ET, Bitcoin traded at $78,263, up 1.21% over the prior day, according to TokenPostMarket data. Ethereum rose 2.56% to $2,369, extending a relative-strength streak that has helped broaden sentiment beyond BTC-led rallies.
Major altcoins were mostly in the green. XRP (XRP) added 0.77%, BNB (BNB) gained 1.14%, Solana (SOL) climbed 1.44%, and Dogecoin (DOGE) rose 1.66%. Hyperliquid (HYPE) advanced 2.02%, while Tron (TRX) was the lone notable decliner among the group, slipping 0.05%.
Market-wide capitalization stood at $2.615 trillion, with total 24-hour spot volume reported at $96.5 billion. Altcoins accounted for $1.048 trillion of total market value and posted $78.7 billion in 24-hour volume, underscoring continued participation outside Bitcoin despite the market’s still BTC-heavy structure.
Bitcoin’s 'dominance'—its share of the total crypto market cap—edged down to 59.92%, a marginal 0.01 percentage-point decrease on the day. Ethereum’s dominance increased to 10.94%, up 0.14 percentage points. The combination of a slight dip in BTC dominance and a firmer ETH share is often interpreted as a tentative rotation toward altcoins, particularly when paired with broad-based gains among large-cap tokens.
Under the surface, however, parts of the on-chain economy showed softer activity. The DeFi sector’s market cap was reported at $62.9 billion, with 24-hour volume of $8.6 billion—down 3.81%—suggesting that the price bounce has not yet translated into uniformly stronger decentralized trading and lending flows.
Stablecoins also saw a contraction in turnover. Total stablecoin market cap was $292.7 billion, while 24-hour trading volume fell 8.62% to $139.0 billion. Lower stablecoin volume can indicate reduced near-term deployment of sidelined capital, even during upward price moves, and may point to a more cautious pace of spot buying.
Derivatives activity remained the standout. Crypto futures and options recorded $473.1 billion in 24-hour trading volume, up 4.46% from the previous day—far exceeding spot turnover. Rising derivatives volume alongside a market rebound can reflect 'leveraged positioning' and heightened sensitivity to short-term volatility, as traders use perps and options to express directional views or hedge exposure.