"Crypto Twins: Aave, Aptos Eye $5B Market Cap by March"

Two cryptocurrencies, Aave (AAVE) and Aptos (APT), are poised to reach a $5 billion market capitalization by March, driven by growing institutional interest and a rapidly expanding decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

Bitcoin (BTC) recently staged a sharp recovery, rebounding from a sell-off sparked by U.S. President Trump's announcement of 25% tariffs on U.S. imports from Canada and Mexico. Despite the downturn, which wiped out $460 billion from the total crypto market capitalization and triggered $985 million in liquidations, Bitcoin regained momentum, surging 4% in 24 hours to trade at $87,300 at press time.

Aave (AAVE) is currently trading at $222.87 with a market capitalization of $3.4 billion, having surged over 26% in the past 24 hours. To reach a $5 billion market cap, Aave would need to climb to approximately $327 per token, a target that now appears increasingly within reach. A major catalyst for this growth is the tokenomics overhaul proposal, which is subject to community approval and has been described as 'the most important proposal' in Aave's history. The proposal includes a $1 million weekly AAVE buyback for six months, an 'Umbrella' safety mechanism designed to protect users from bad debt 'up to billions', and a new revenue model.

Aave protocol revenue remains strong despite market conditions, and the cash portion of the Aave DAO has increased by 115% since the adoption of the Aavenomics update in 2024, now sitting at $115 million. Meanwhile, Aave continues to assert its dominance in the DeFi sector, with total value locked (TVL) surpassing $18 billion, nearly equal to the combined TVL of other major lending protocols, according to DeFiLlama. Over the past seven days, the protocol has generated more than $8.08 million in fees, further highlighting sustained network activity despite broader market volatility.

Aptos (APT) is currently trading at $5.87 with a market capitalization of $3.5 billion, and would need a 42.86% surge to hit the $5 billion mark, pushing its price