Newton (NEW) Soars 114% Amid Crypto Market Slowdown

In mid-June 2025, the crypto market experienced a general slowdown, with many large-cap altcoins struggling as Bitcoin’s momentum faltered. Since Bitcoin’s all-time high of $112,000 on May 22, the altcoin market has largely mirrored Bitcoin’s retreat, experiencing major pullbacks. However, market analytics firm identified a select group of tokens that are bucking this bearish trend. These outliers have posted impressive returns over the past 30 days, demonstrating that specific narratives and project developments can drive growth even when the wider market is faltering.

Among the standout performers, a few have separated themselves with remarkable growth. Newton (NEW), formerly known as AB, is a DeFi token focused on lending and trading platforms. It has seen its market cap soar by over 114% in the last month. This price action has been matched by a surge in public interest, with social data showing that mentions of the token have hit their highest point of 2025. SPX6900 (SPX), a meme token operating on both Ethereum and Solana, posted a 98% gain over 30 days after breaking through key technical resistance. Unusually for a memecoin, its social sentiment is muted, with only 2.2 bullish comments for every bearish one, suggesting its rally may be driven by more than just social media hype.

Gains have also been concentrated in specific sectors, from real-world assets to exchange tokens. WhiteRock (WHITE), a protocol for tokenizing real-world assets (RWAs) like stocks and bonds, saw its market cap increase by 66% in 30 days. However, the token’s rally has shown signs of cooling, with its value dropping nearly 60% from a peak two weeks ago, causing social media attention to return to pre-pump levels. The native token of the major exchange has been a recent top gainer, surging 61% in just the last week alone. This rapid increase has been accompanied by a corresponding rise in its social dominance, although overall positive sentiment from the crowd remains moderate. Hyperliquid (HYPE), the governance token for a decentralized perpetuals exchange, has gained 52% over the last 30 days and has seen its price increase fourfold since early April. Despite this strong performance, social mentions remain low at just 1.25% of all crypto discussions, but sentiment is firmly positive, with a bullish-to-bearish comment ratio of approximately 3.75-to-1.

Several other projects have also captured attention with strong, albeit less explosive, performances. Kaia (KAIA), a Layer-1 smart-contract platform, ended the month 35% higher after a powerful 67% surge in early June. Its social dominance peaked at its highest level since late 2024. Klaytn (KLAY), a blockchain focused on the metaverse and gaming, posted a respectable 33% gain over the past 30 days, though its social media presence remains minimal. These market-defying performances underscore a key theme in the current market: while broad-based rallies are on hold, investors are selectively rewarding projects with strong specific catalysts, from DeFi innovation to real-world asset tokenization.

Social sentiment varies widely, influencing price volatility across tokens. DeFi and real-world asset tokens show strong gains amid cautious market conditions. The current market conditions highlight the importance of specific project developments and narratives in driving growth, even when the broader market is experiencing a slowdown. Investors are focusing on projects with strong catalysts, such as DeFi innovation and real-world asset tokenization, which are driving significant gains despite the overall market downturn.