• The Cardano DeFi ecosystem thrives alongside this ascent, with the total value locked (TVL) surpassing $370 million, marking a 520% growth since the beginning of the year.
• Cardano’s DEX activities also witness a notable spike, with a 140% weekly increase, exceeding $12 million, pointing toward a potential monthly trading volume surpassing $100 million.

Layer-1 blockchain network Cardano has registered some big milestones recently, especially in the decentralized finance (DeFi) space.

Cardano’s ADA has experienced a significant surge over the past few months, notably appreciating by over 120% since October 20. As the coin continues to reach new highs in the closing days of the year, the Cardano DeFi ecosystem is thriving alongside this remarkable ascent.

On Friday, Cardano’s total value locked (TVL) surpassed the $370 million mark, marking an impressive 520% growth since the beginning of the year. The surge in TVL is primarily attributed to a notable uptick in decentralized exchange (DEX) activities, ongoing network developments, and a general increase in investor confidence in Cardano’s DeFi landscape.

This achievement marks the first time in 21 months that Cardano’s TVL has surpassed the $300 million threshold, solidifying its position among the top 10 TVL records. The robust growth signals a continued positive trajectory for Cardano’s DeFi ecosystem and underscores the growing interest and trust from the investor community.

Cardanno’s DEX Volume Shoots Up

Cardano is experiencing a noteworthy surge in decentralized exchange (DEX) activities, accompanied by a substantial increase in Total Value Locked (TVL). The surge in TVL, marking a more than 30% rise within a 24-hour period, coincided with a heightened DEX volume exceeding $12 million. This surge followed closely after ADA, Cardano’s native cryptocurrency, reached the 50-cent milestone.

DefiLlama data reveals that Cardano’s DEXs recorded a remarkable trading volume surpassing $12 million, showcasing a significant 140% weekly increase, ultimately reaching $50 million over the course of 24 hours.

The current spike in trading volume presents a stark contrast to the situation in September when most protocols collectively processed just under $50 million. If this positive trend continues, Cardano could potentially achieve a monthly trading volume surpassing $100 million, marking the first occurrence since August.

In addition to the flourishing TVL and increased DEX activities, Cardano-based meme coins, including Snek, have experienced substantial growth in the past 24 hours. Snek, which had been relatively quiet for months, witnessed a bullish trend, propelling its market cap beyond $70 million. The robust performance of Cardano’s DeFi ecosystem underscores the platform’s resilience and growing prominence within the cryptocurrency landscape.

ADA Price Surge

Over the last weekend, the Cardano (ADA) price surged to its new 2023 high of $0.63 extending its weekly gains to over 50%. With this, the ADA price also managed to hit a new 18-month high. Cardano (ADA) is currently the most rewarding among the top ten cryptocurrencies on the weekly chart.

On-chain data provider Santiment reported that Cardano had witnessed a substantial increase in trading volume, reaching levels not observed since the mentioned period.

Crowd interest in Cardano has experienced a notable surge, accounting for approximately 4% of all cryptocurrency discussions today. This renewed enthusiasm suggests that Cardano, currently holding the 8th position in market cap, has reclaimed a prominent position at the forefront of public consciousness. While reports indicate elevated levels of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), Cardano appears to be gaining momentum, compensating for lost time in the cryptocurrency market.

Crypto analyst Ali Martinez has highlighted a noteworthy resemblance between ADA’s current price trajectory and its pattern observed from 2018 to 2020. This historical pattern is characterized by a period of consolidation preceding a significant upward movement.

Ali draws parallels with the late December 2020 timeframe when ADA experienced a remarkable surge of approximately 2,350%, ultimately reaching all-time highs of $3.09 in August 2021. Building on this comparison, Ali predicts a potential rally for Cardano as it surpasses the $0.45 mark. The forecast points to a climb reaching $0.75 by late December, indicating optimistic developments for Cardano in the near term.

However, at press time, the ADA price has come under selling pressure amid the sell-off in the broader crypto market. As of press time, ADA is trading 6.7% down at $0.55 with its market cap slipping under $20 billion.