It’s been a strong day across the crypto space. Bitcoin pushed through the $111,000 mark, while Ethereum climbed above $2,775, giving the entire market a jolt of energy. The total market cap moved up around 2.8%, reaching $3.47 trillion, with altcoins riding the wave.
But while BTC and ETH grabbed headlines, several lesser-known coins saw even bigger moves.
PENGU Soars 33% on ETF Filing Buzz
Pudgy Penguins’ token, PENGU, exploded 33.44% to nearly $0.0163. Volume wasn’t quiet either, it spiked to about $788 million. The market cap jumped to $1.23 billion, pushing the token into the spotlight.
The reason? The SEC just acknowledged a spot ETF application connected to PENGU. The ETF would hold a mix of PENGU tokens and Pudgy Penguins NFTs — an unusual combination that blends meme coin and NFT exposure. That one headline kicked off a wave of interest.
Big holders were already preparing. Whales added more than 2 billion PENGU tokens this month, and supply on exchanges dropped by over 8% since June. Some traders are now watching for a move toward $0.03, though that’ll depend on whether volume holds.
ZBCN Rallies 21% Before House of Lords Appearance
Zebec Network (ZBCN) jumped 20.21%, hitting about $0.00367 with volume up to $58 million. Its market cap now sits at just over $309 million.
What’s behind it? Zebec’s top brass is set to speak at the UK House of Lords, focusing on blockchain compliance and crypto regulations. That level of political exposure isn’t common in Web3. Traders seem to see it as a credibility milestone — and they’re positioning early.
Uphold reportedly holds $35 million in ZBCN, and Zebec has been on an acquisition spree, picking up both Science Card and Gatenox recently. That mix of regulatory access and growth narrative helped fuel today’s rise.
ETHFI Gains 15% on Real Utility, Not Just Hype
ether.fi’s token, ETHFI, rose 15.66%, now trading around $1.10. Volume saw a heavy bump too, up to $234 million in 24 hours. The market cap touched $414 million.
What’s pushing the move isn’t just trader excitement. On June 30, Maple Finance integrated ether.fi’s weETH as collateral, which opened up new lending routes. Over $35 million in loans have been issued already using weETH. The protocol also continues to buy back tokens using weekly fee revenue — a solid reason for investors to pay attention.
Popcat Climbs 14% on Derivatives Activity
POPCAT, a meme token running on Solana, moved up 13.9%, trading near $0.34. Market cap is just over $332 million, and volume shot up past $87 million, up nearly 92% from the day before.
Derivatives markets were part of the story, funding rates rose steeply, showing that long traders are paying to keep their bets open. POPCAT also recently got listed on Coinbase Germany, which is now helping build out liquidity.
If demand holds, the next big test could be around the $0.35 zone, where it’s faced rejections before.
WIF Inches Closer to $1 After Whale Accumulation
Dogwifhat (WIF) saw a 12.9% rise, hitting $0.9698, with $503 million in trading volume, more than double the previous day. Its market cap now stands close to $969 million.
Between July 3 and July 5, whales picked up 39 million WIF tokens as the price tested a support level near $0.83. At the same time, exchange balances dropped by 2%, meaning fewer tokens are sitting idle on trading platforms.
WIF has now broken out of a wedge pattern that some traders were watching, and volume is holding up, a sign that bulls aren’t done just yet.
Why is the crypto market pumping today?
It’s a mix of everything. Bitcoin moving above a major resistance level helped. Ethereum followed. ETF filings, like PENGU’s, brought new energy. Whale activity is back across multiple tokens. Plus, real utility stories like ether.fi are starting to get noticed.
Sentiment has clearly flipped for now. Traders are stepping back in. Whether this sticks or not, that’s the next big question.
Also Read: Why is the Crypto Market Up Today? – July 10, 2025
