Key Highlights
- AI tokens jumped over 42% in 24 hours, with the sector’s market cap reaching $21 billion.
- Investor interest is broadening, with both large and small AI tokens gaining value, driven by growing AI adoption and support from tech leaders like Jensen Huang.
- Institutional access is increasing, with products like the Grayscale Bittensor Trust making it easier for larger investors to enter the market.
Artificial intelligence (AI) tokens are drawing attention across the crypto market after the sector jumped over 42% in the past 24 hours, beating other crypto categories.
According to data from Coingecko, the sector’s market cap rose to more than $21 billion in a day, with an overall trading volume of $1.8 billion. The move was led by tokens like Bittensor (TAO), Near Protocol, and Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET), as investor interest shifted toward AI-linked projects globally.
Top tokens leading the surge
Bittensor (TAO) currently has the largest market capitalization in the sector with about $2.6 billion. The token is currently trading at $274, though with a 0.8% drop in 24 hours, but it gained 16% in the last 7 days. The next largest token on its tail is Near Protocol, which trades for $1.32 at the present time, reaching $1.6 billion in market value.
Among the notable names in the move were AKT, PIPPIN, and ARC, which were highlighted as standout tokens during the rally. The jump suggested renewed trader interest in AI-linked narratives, a theme that has repeatedly resurfaced during broader risk-on phases in the digital asset market.
At the same time, LUKSOAgent gained over 67%, reaching $0.00000353, with a 24-hour trading volume of $117K. Spectral was up by 37%, with a market cap of $2.5 million.
Surge in interest from investors
This rally appears to reflect growing adoption across the space. Earlier this week, the market saw a push after an endorsement from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and investor Chamath Palihapitiya during a podcast appearance, where Palihapitiya called decentralized trading a large language model a “pretty crazy technical accomplishment.” This comment pushed major AI tokens like TAO up about 17% to over $300 before reversing.
The surge also comes as AI-focused blockchain projects expand their networks for decentralized computing, AI training, and autonomous agent infrastructure. Investors appear drawn to projects that combine blockchain and AI, aiming to build systems that are transparent, distributed, and scalable.
At the same time, the current market conditions played a role as Bitcoin recovered above $70K again, which lifted overall crypto sentiment. However, geopolitical concerns, particularly tensions involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran, remain a backdrop that keeps some investors cautious.
Overall, adoption, institutional access, and attention from tech leaders like Huang have fueled the rise in AI tokens. While some experienced small pullbacks in 24-hour trading, the sector’s strong weekly gains suggest AI-linked cryptocurrencies continue to attract both retail and institutional capital.
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