Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL), a popular AI agent project, soared past $1.50 early Tuesday after Binance.US opened trading for the altcoin, making it one of the best-performing cryptocurrencies among the top 100 for the day.
While major tokens like bitcoin and ether treaded water, VIRTUAL spiked 30% at its peak, settling around $1.36 by the time of writing. That move pushed its market capitalization close to $1 billion, slotting the token into 94th place among digital assets by size, according to CoinMarketCap data.
The surge followed Binance.US enabling deposits and trading for the token via a VIRTUAL/USDT pair, broadening access to American retail investors. Listings on major exchanges often lead to stronger liquidity and new market interest, as the tokens become more easily accessible.
The token is up more than 107% over the past week, having traded at just around $0.66 on April 23. The token is nevertheless far from its all-time high of around $4.6 seen earlier this year, amid a wider crypto market surge.
VIRTUAL Faces Stress Test
Beyond exchange listings, Virtuals Protocol recently faced a test of user trust. Earlier this month, the platform launched the Genesis Launch event, a distribution mechanism for its AI agent ecosystem.
However, a project called PlayGameAI allegedly exploited the system, targeting users through loopholes. In response, Virtuals Protocol announced a full refund for affected users, excluding three wallets tied to direct transfers outside the intended mechanism.
Virtuals Protocol, launched back in 2023, operates as a decentralized platform for creating, co-owning, and monetizing tokenized AI agents. The token powers payments and governance within the network.
The latest rally has caught the attention of traders. One prominent analyst, posting under the name 0xCB on X, pointed to $1.50 as a critical breakout level. They forecast a path toward $3 and a potential retest of the token’s all-time high if broader crypto market conditions remain stable.
It is worth noting that just this week, Binance listed another altcoin, called SIGN, which led to a 30% price surge.
