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CoinDesk 20: AVAX, LUNA, MANA, SHIB Are In; Bitcoin Cash, EOS, ETH Classic, Filecoin Are Out

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CoinDesk 20: AVAX, LUNA, MANA, SHIB Are In; Bitcoin Cash, EOS, ETH Classic, Filecoin Are Out

Top Crypto Assets by Volume Ranked in the CoinDesk 20

Two layer 1 smart contract platforms, a metaverse real estate token and a meme coin joined the CoinDesk 20 this quarter, replacing four assets issued by earlier generations in cryptocurrency and Web 3.

The CoinDesk 20 is a list of the top cryptocurrencies by volume, as measured on a select list of trusted exchanges. The list is reconstituted quarterly, using data observed over the prior two quarters. The full list is here. A full description of the methodology can be found here. Volume data is provided by Nomics.

AVAX and LUNA, the native currencies of the Avalanche and Terra blockchains, respectively, joined the CoinDesk 20, making the first quarter the second quarter in a row in which layer 1 platforms, offering new alternatives to Ethereum, surged into the list.

MANA is the native token of Decentraland, a virtual reality platform built on the Ethereum blockchain, supporting ownership of virtual "land." Investor interest in Decentraland surged in the fourth quarter as Facebook renamed itself Meta Platforms and announced a new focus on applications in the "metaverse," a loose concept describing a variety of virtual play and workspaces.

Shiba inu token (SHIB) is a variation on dogecoin. Both are meme coins, their value based on the virality and attractiveness of images and catch phrases associated with a cryptocurrency.

The currencies that fell out of the CoinDesk 20 represent an earlier generation of currency and Web 3 innovation.

  • Bitcoin cash (BCH) is a fork of Bitcoin. Backers of BCH split off in 2017, forking the Bitcoin chain to allow for faster and cheaper transactions.
  • EOS also emerged in 2017 as an alternative to Ethereum and is also designed to provide faster and cheaper transactions. Its 2017-2018 initial coin offering (ICO) raised a record amount.
  • Ethereum classic (ETC) is a fork of Ethereum that originated with a 2016 controversy over an Ethereum hard fork that restored funds stolen from users of The DAO, an early dapp on Ethereum.
  • Filecoin (FIL) is a decentralized storage project that also emerged in 2017, holding an ICO that raised $200 million. It launched on mainnet in 2020.

For a daily table of top gainers and losers in the CoinDesk 20, subscribe to the First Mover newsletter.


DISCLOSURE

The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.

Galen Moore is director of professional content at CoinDesk. He holds avalanche, bitcoin, ether and solana, as well as small amounts of other cryptocurrencies. He is an advisor to <a href="http://axelar.network">Axelar</a>, an interoperability project.