• Despite individual projects like Struct Finance experiencing growth, the overall volumes of DEX transactions on the Avalanche network have continued to decline.
• The Avalanche ecosystem is looking forward to some key developments such as the Durango upgrade, designed to enhance inter-chain transactions and scalability.

Recent developments in decentralized exchanges (DEXes) operating on the Avalanche network have sparked optimism for the protocol, following a period of declining activity observed over the past few months.

While interest in the Avalanche ecosystem had waned, the announcement of Struct Finance as a recipient of up to $1 million in Avalanche Rush Incentives by the @avax Foundation has signaled a potential turnaround. Struct Finance, a decentralized finance platform specializing in structured financial products akin to traditional asset-backed securities, has witnessed a surge in total value locked (TVL), reaching nearly $4 million since the incentive announcement.

However, despite the positive momentum generated by individual projects like Struct Finance, the overall volumes of DEX transactions on the Avalanche network have continued to decrease. This indicates that while certain projects are experiencing growth, the broader DEX ecosystem on Avalanche still grapples with challenges in maintaining overall trading activity levels.

Declining in NFT Activity

In recent weeks, a notable decrease in activity has been observed across Avalanche’s decentralized exchanges (DEXes) and its NFT ecosystem, signaling a broader decline in interest in the platform.

Notably, the number of NFT sales on Avalanche witnessed a 12.5% decline over the past week, reflecting a waning interest in blue-chip NFT collections such as LoFi Leopards and Dreamheadz. This trend suggests a challenge in attracting users to these collections despite their prominence on the network.

The diminishing activity in Avalanche’s NFT ecosystem is significant as NFTs play a crucial role in engaging users, developers, and artists within blockchain networks. A vibrant NFT ecosystem not only highlights the platform’s versatility but also fosters creativity and innovation among its community members.

The decline in NFT activity may indicate a loss of confidence or interest among users and creators alike. If this trend persists, it could pose a threat to the overall growth and vitality of the Avalanche ecosystem, highlighting the importance of addressing the underlying factors contributing to this decline.

Upcoming Developments

The highly anticipated Durango upgrade, designed to enhance inter-chain transactions and scalability, is scheduled for deployment on Avalanche’s Fuji Testnet at 11 a.m. ET on February 13. This upgrade is expected to have a significant impact on the AVAX community, potentially transforming its dynamics.

Scheduled for February 22, a release of 9.5 million AVAX tokens, valued at approximately $320 million, is on the horizon. These tokens are intended for strategic partners and team members, with a portion allocated for airdrops to foster a balance between long-term commitment and potential short-term market fluctuations.

Given historical trends, this impending token unlock may resemble a previous release on November 23, which led to a subsequent 9.85% decline in AVAX price within four days. If past patterns hold true, AVAX’s price could experience a similar downturn following the unlock event. At press time, AVAX is trading 3% up at a price of $35.86 with a market cap of $13.17 billion.