Trendspotting in crypto: How to discover winning projects before the crowd

TL;DR

Spotting the adjacent large crypto task earlier it explodes demands data, subject and a crisp oculus for existent signals. This usher explores however to place aboriginal winners by analyzing onchain metrics, tokenomics, dev enactment and assemblage traction portion avoiding the communal traps of hype-driven pumps and red-flag projects.

Despite the crypto abstraction being crowded, fast-moving and afloat of noise, immoderate investors negociate to consistently find promising projects portion they’re inactive nether the radar.

So, however bash they bash it? 

Crypto trendspotters cognize however to work onchain data. They recognize tokenomics. They work GitHub commits and travel the money. It takes much than jumping connected the hype bandwagon up of the crowd.

This usher breaks down however to find crypto projects with existent imaginable utilizing lessons from past winners similar Solana, Arbitrum, Chainlink and adjacent memecoins similar Pepe. Along the way, it volition item the tools that matter, reddish flags to debar and the quality betwixt integrated maturation and manufactured buzz.

How the existent winners took off

Solana

When Solana launched successful 2020, fewer extracurricular of developer circles had heard of it. But it had 1 large edge: speed. Solana’s proof-of-history tech made it 1 of the fastest chains around, and it rapidly became a magnet for builders, particularly successful DeFi and NFTs. By 2021, its ecosystem exploded with apps similar Serum and Magic Eden.

Early adopters who paid attraction to onchain maturation — similar wallet enactment and DEX measurement — could spot thing brewing. Solana (SOL) went from nether $1 to $50+ successful little than a year. 

Arbitrum 

Arbitrum launched successful 2021 arsenic an Ethereum furniture 2, but its large infinitesimal came with the Arbitrum (ARB) token airdrop successful March 2023. At launch, Arbitrum was already processing much transactions than galore furniture 1s and had billions successful full worth locked (TVL) successful decentralized applications (DApps).

Smart investors were watching. Even earlier the token, the signs were there: idiosyncratic activity, rising liquidity and increasing app adoption. When ARB dropped, the pump stuck due to the fact that the instauration was real.

Chainlink

Chainlink is simply a classical illustration of a task with semipermanent utility. It doesn’t person flashy branding oregon meme power, but it does 1 happening incredibly well: provender real-world information into astute contracts.

By 2024, it had go the backbone of overmuch of DeFi, gaming and adjacent tokenized real-world assets. If you were watching intimately successful 2019-2020, you saw LINK (LINK) getting integrated everywhere. That benignant of aboriginal inferior often flies nether the radar — until terms enactment catches up.

PEPE Coin (PEPE)

Let’s not unreal memes don’t matter. Pepe (PEPE) launched successful 2023 with nary roadmap, nary inferior and nary VC backing. But it deed a nerve, and the net ran with it. The coin deed a billion-dollar marketplace headdress wrong weeks.

That benignant of tally is uncommon — and risky. But for traders tracking societal sentiment, wallet organisation and assemblage activity, the aboriginal signals were each there. PEPE didn’t committedness anything, but it delivered returns by becoming a viral moment.

How to find crypto gems early

So, however bash you abstracted the adjacent Solana from the adjacent rug pull? Here’s however superior trendspotters attack it.

1. Start with onchain metrics

Public blockchains are transparent. Use that to look at:

• Daily progressive wallets

• Transaction volume

• Tokenholder growth

• Liquidity connected decentralized exchanges (DEXs)

• TVL (for DeFi projects).

If users and superior are moving successful — earlier the token moons — that’s a large sign. Tools similar Dune Analytics, Nansen and DefiLlama are your champion friends here.

2. Understand the tokenomics

Ask questions like:

• What’s the full supply? How overmuch is circulating?

• Are determination upcoming unlocks oregon vesting cliffs?

• Who holds the tokens, and however concentrated are the top wallets?

• Is determination utility? Does the token do anything?

Tokens with capped supply, astute incentives (like staking oregon pain mechanisms) and just organisation models thin to bash amended long-term.

3. Check developer activity

Is the squad really building?

GitHub is simply a goldmine. Look astatine however often codification is pushed, however galore contributors are active, and whether the repo looks alive. No updates for months? Big reddish flag.

You don’t request to work codification — conscionable way commits and releases. Projects with existent traction are ever shipping.

4. Look for ecosystem signals

Are different developers gathering on top of it? Are DApps launching? Is liquidity growing? Are users coming backmost week aft week?

Ecosystem maturation is hard to fake, and it’s often the strongest aboriginal indicator that a task has legs.

5. Follow the community

X, Discord, Telegram, Reddit — yes, it’s noisy. But it’s besides wherever trends start. Look beyond the terms talk:

• Are radical really utilizing the product?

• Are devs answering questions?

• Is the code constructive oregon conscionable hype?

Use LunarCrush oregon Santiment to way societal momentum, but ever double-check it with onchain data.

Key tools to spot crypto trends

Here’s a speedy rundown of the apical platforms utilized by astute crypto trendspotters:

Top tip: Don’t conscionable usage 1 tool. Great traders cross-reference everything.

Crypto inclination investigation 2025

A coin mightiness beryllium flying, but is it due to the fact that radical are really utilizing it oregon conscionable talking astir it? Learning to archer the quality tin prevention you from making a atrocious investment. 

Signs of existent traction

• Steady idiosyncratic maturation and TVL implicit time: If users are showing up before a token pumps — and the numbers support climbing week implicit week — that’s usually a motion of substance. You’ll often spot this successful DeFi protocols oregon furniture 2s gaining spot slowly, not overnight.

• Code commits and merchandise updates: A unrecorded GitHub with regular commits, progressive devs and disposable advancement means the squad is building. This shows momentum and semipermanent absorption — not conscionable a selling push.

• More tokenholders, little whale control: When caller holders articulation steadily — and proviso isn’t all locked up by the apical 5 wallets — it’s a healthier setup. Distributed ownership reduces the hazard of rug pulls oregon coordinated dumps.

• New integrations and ecosystem activity: If different apps are integrating the token oregon gathering connected the protocol, it usually means the tech is coagulated and useful. This benignant of web effect compounds accelerated and often precedes a breakout.

• Liquidity that builds slowly: Gradual increases successful liquidity and trading measurement thin to bespeak existent interest. If liquidity sticks astir (rather than vanishing aft a pump), it’s usually organic.

Signs of manufactured hype

• Sudden spikes successful societal mentions oregon trading measurement with nary news: If the task is everyplace connected X overnight, but there’s nary merchandise update, motorboat oregon roadmap shift, beryllium skeptical. It’s apt a coordinated shill.

• Influencer spam and recycled talking points: When you spot aggregate anonymous influencers posting the aforesaid meme oregon catchphrase, that’s a awesome someone’s trying to manufacture buzz.

• No dev enactment oregon roadmap: If there’s nary GitHub, nary changelog and the squad isn’t shipping anything, it’s astir apt conscionable a hype machine.

• Anonymous team, outrageous promises: Combine a mystery team with claims similar “100x guaranteed,” and you’re apt looking astatine a currency grab. Real builders fto the enactment talk for itself.

Rule of thumb: If the terms is moving and everything other — users, devs, integrations — is lasting still, you’re looking astatine hype. But erstwhile those fundamentals are softly ticking up successful the background? That’s erstwhile it’s worthy a person look.

More reddish flags

Some projects look large connected the aboveground — slick websites, trending hashtags, a fast-moving illustration — but autumn isolated nether the hood. Here are immoderate much reddish flags to ticker retired for:

• High holder concentration: If astir of the token is sitting successful a fistful of wallets, it doesn’t instrumentality overmuch for a terms crash. Whales often bargain aboriginal and dump connected retail.

• Unverified token contracts: A token that hasn’t been verified connected Etherscan oregon BscScan mightiness fell functions that let minting, blocking wallets oregon draining liquidity. Always cheque the declaration oregon look for an audit.

• No liquidity fastener oregon audit: If the devs power each the liquidity supplier tokens and there’s nary fastener oregon time-locked contract, they tin propulsion the rug astatine immoderate moment. Similarly, nary third-party audit? That’s a gamble.

• Big token unlocks coming up: Large unlocks for insiders oregon aboriginal investors tin trigger immense sell-offs. If you’re holding during a large vesting event, you could beryllium exit liquidity. Know the schedule.

Top tip: Before you click buy, ask, Who stands to summation the astir if this pumps? Who gets wounded if it dumps? If the reply points to a fewer insiders with dense bags and zero accountability, locomotion away.

How to spot crypto trends earlier the crowd

The champion aboriginal investors are the mechanics looking nether the hood. They survey token structures and unlock schedules, articulation communities aboriginal to drawback signals firsthand, and travel the builders to spot who’s really shipping. 

Most importantly, they cross-check everything: on-chain data, societal sentiment, developer activity, and liquidity. Tools similar Dune, DefiLlama, Nansen and GitHub assistance them abstracted sound from substance — and spot winners earlier the assemblage does.

Crypto rewards those who are curious, captious and a small spot contrarian. The assemblage usually shows up late. If you privation to find gems earlier they moon, you’ll request to deliberation independently, excavation deeper, and enactment earlier the communicative forms.

It’s not easy. But it’s doable. And the much you signifier spotting aboriginal signals — the existent ones, not the sound — the much 2nd quality it becomes.

This nonfiction does not incorporate concern proposal oregon recommendations. Every concern and trading determination involves risk, and readers should behaviour their ain probe erstwhile making a decision.