Virtuals Protocol Drops 3.21% Amid Staking Transition

Virtuals Protocol's latest price was $1.95, down 3.21% in the last 24 hours. The cryptocurrency has recently made significant strides in its ecosystem, with the official launch of Delegate Staking. This new feature marks a shift from passive holding to an active staking mechanism, allowing users to earn points within the Virtuals ecosystem. The transition period for this change will conclude at 3:00 PM (GMT+8) on May 22, 2025. Users are required to transfer their delegate tokens to the staking contract by this deadline to continue earning points. Eligible contracts include those issued by Virtuals and whitelisted contracts with a 14-day unlock cooldown period. The team will confirm the staking eligibility of these contracts once the transition is complete. Approximately 70 projects, including Genesis and standard issuance projects, have confirmed that their staking contracts will go live, enabling users to stake their delegate tokens and start earning points immediately.

The execution rules for the new staking system are clear: after the deadline, only staked delegate tokens will earn points. Whitelisted contracts must adhere to a 14-day unlock cooldown period, and projects using custom contracts have a two-week period to migrate or adjust to meet the staking requirements. This move is expected to enhance user engagement and participation within the Virtuals Protocol ecosystem, fostering a more dynamic and rewarding environment for its community.

Virtuals Protocol’s native token, VIRTUAL, has been a standout performer in the cryptocurrency market, displaying resilience and strong investor engagement. The integration of Arbus, an AI-powered market intelligence layer, has sparked significant interest. Arbus is now live on the Virtuals Protocol, offering tools for DeFi agents, data analysis, and dApp development. This collaboration is expected to boost the protocol’s perceived utility and relevance in the competitive DeFi sector. As traders seek more advanced insights and data infrastructure, such developments are likely to drive further growth and adoption within the Virtuals Protocol ecosystem.