Following its explosive growth in 2023, the Injective ecosystem shows no signs of slowing down in 2024, with its final token unlock just around the corner.
After its 2,700% surge in 2023 to $35, Injective (INJ) continues its upward trend as its price climbs above $40. According to data from CoinGecko, the coin is trading at around $41.8, following an 11% gain in the last 24 hours.
The protocol is set to release 3.6 million INJ, equivalent to $146 million, on January 21. This is the final unlock event where approximately 16% of INJ’s max supply will flow into the market, potentially affecting liquidity and market dynamics.
Many people think that less tokens will mean higher values, but in some cases this doesn’t seem to work.
Injective’s latest token unlock event, on August 21, 2023, saw the release of 2.86 million INJ. While the price dipped slightly afterwards, INJ remained resilient, staying above $6 until it broke through $11 within two months. Word on the street is that a large influx of INJ tokens can create significant selling pressure on the market, leading to a drop in the token price.
However, some market observers keep a positive outlook, believing that more INJ will become available with the final token release, potentially increasing its overall liquidity. Crypto trader and analyst Captain Faibik predicts a bullish rally for INJ ahead of the unlock event.
Injective Volan Upgrade Next Week
Before the unlock event, Injective will undergo a major mainnet upgrade scheduled for January 11 – the Volan upgrade. This upgrade adds several important features and improvements to enhance the user experience. The key focuses are the integration of the world’s first RWA module, the introduction of token-burning capabilities, and the upgrade of scalability and security.
One of the standout introductions in the Volan upgrade is the pioneering Real-World Assets (RWA) module. With this groundbreaking feature, Injective users can trade and transfer real-world assets directly onto the platform. This significant leap bridges the gap between traditional finance and decentralized trading, offering users unparalleled access to various investment avenues.
According to the Injective protocol, the RWA module is not limited in scope; it facilitates the tokenization and trading of diverse real-world assets. Users can now diversify their portfolios from stocks and commodities to many other tangible assets, seamlessly gaining exposure to traditional markets within the Injective ecosystem.
The team previously announced that 4,000 INJ, worth almost $130,000, were burned in the first week of 2024. This trend is expected to continue with the Volan upgrade. The Volan upgrade introduces strategic token-burning capabilities. Token burning entails permanently removing a portion of the circulating tokens from the ecosystem.
By decreasing the overall token supply, this mechanism fosters scarcity, potentially driving up the value of the remaining tokens. This strategic move is poised to benefit token holders, as it could lead to a surge in the valuation of their holdings.
Less Tokens Means Higher Values?
Earlier this year, the Injective team announced that the Volan Upgrade was successfully deployed on the Injective testnet. As with any major upgrade, the Volan rollout could impact the price of the INJ token. While predicting market movements is always tricky, the positive advancements might be reflected in increased demand and potentially a bullish sentiment.
It’s still early to assess the full impact of the Volan upgrade and the token unlock event on INJ tokens. Still, these events hold significant potential to propel Injective’s growth further and solidify its position as a leading DeFi platform.
Data indicates an expansion within the Injective ecosystem. By the close of 2023, on-chain active wallets associated with Injective reached a reported figure of 300,000. Moving into 2024, anticipated efforts in marketing initiatives, community involvement, and more dApp introductions are expected to accelerate awareness and adoption.