Cardano (ADA) has emerged as one of the cryptocurrency market’s standout performers. Its market capitalization has tripled in just 17 days to reach an impressive $37.40 billion. This surge coincides with ADA’s price climbing to $1.16 on Friday, marking its highest level since April 2022.
Currently ranked as the 9th largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, ADA has recorded a remarkable 47% increase in value over the past week. Supporting this upward momentum, data from Santiment highlights that trader realized profits are at their highest in eight months, while social media discussions about ADA have reached an 11-month peak.
That said, several factors fuel Cardano’s rally, including founder Charles Hoskinson’s active push for regulatory clarity. Mid-last week, Hoskinson, who played a key role in passing 31 crypto laws in Wyoming, revealed plans to work closely with U.S. lawmakers to address regulatory challenges.
In a tweet, the crypto mogul announced “Operation Baseline,” an initiative launching in January under IO Policy “to survey the American cryptocurrency industry to identify waste, abuse, and missed opportunities.” This proactive approach toward regulatory clarity has strengthened investor confidence in the project’s long-term potential, adding to the momentum behind ADA’s rise.
Cardano’s integration with Bitcoin through the BitcoinOS Grail Bridge has also contributed to the surge. This innovation enables Bitcoin to leverage Cardano’s smart contract capabilities without the risks associated with traditional token bridges, potentially unlocking billions in Bitcoin liquidity for the Cardano DeFi ecosystem.
Additionally, the November 13 relisting of ADA on Robinhood significantly expanded the token’s accessibility to retail investors, with the platform’s 25 million users now having direct access to trade the cryptocurrency. This increased exposure has contributed to the surge in trading volume and price appreciation.
The platform’s decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem has shown remarkable growth, reaching new all-time highs of 609.97 million in Total Value Locked (TVL), according to data from DefiLlama. This milestone demonstrates growing user confidence in Cardano’s technical infrastructure and decentralized applications.
Market enthusiasm has been further fueled by speculation around a potential Cardano ETF following the success of similar products for Bitcoin and Ethereum. Analyst Kris Does Krypto shared insights on this in a Saturday video, emphasizing its potential to impact ADA’s price and adoption trajectory significantly.
“Social sentiment is on fire right now, with many seeing this as a major step towards mainstream adoption. This could bring institutional money pouring into Cardano and solidify ADA’s position as one of the top players in the crypto market.” He stated.
ADA continues to display strong momentum on the technical front after breaking above the key $1 resistance level. While a retracement to $1 is possible, analysts anticipate a rally toward the next resistance at $1.20. Beyond that, ADA faces minimal barriers to further upside.
ADA was trading at $1.07 at the time of writing, reflecting a 1.34% dip in the past 24 hours.
