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The sector of crypto linked to artificial intelligence is experiencing rapid growth in 2024. After a chaotic period marked by high volatility and geopolitical challenges such as the U.S. restrictions on AI chip exports to China, the market has regained new momentum. This spectacular recovery has resulted in a growth of 208 % over the year, propelling the total capitalization of the sector to $61.5 billion. Several dynamics are at play behind this impressive rebound. On one hand, the growing adoption of blockchain solutions powered by artificial intelligence has strengthened the credibility of these technologies. On the other hand, the increasing demand for utility tokens, capable of supporting expanding ecosystems in areas such as gaming, entertainment, and decentralized services, has consolidated this trend.
A Year of Whiplash for AI Cryptos
The year 2024 started off on a promising note for crypto linked to artificial intelligence. Driven by a growing adoption of blockchain solutions that integrate AI, the capitalization of the sector quickly reached a historic high of $44.9 billion in the first quarter. This initial surge reflected a growing interest in innovative projects capable of linking algorithmic power and decentralization.
However, this dynamism was abruptly slowed by a series of key events. The restrictions imposed by the U.S. government on AI chip exports to China exacerbated geopolitical tensions but also hindered investments in this emerging sector. Combined with a wave of profit-taking by investors, this situation led to a massive market decline. In August 2024, the total capitalization collapsed to $23 billion, marking a critical low and revealing the sensitivity of this market to economic and political uncertainties.
In this turbulent context, some projects nonetheless managed to stand out with spectacular performances. The Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL/USD) emerged as one of the big winners of the year, achieving a spectacular growth of 3,500 %. Its capitalization climbed to $2.7 billion, despite market turbulence. This success primarily relies on its successful integration of autonomous AI agents on the Base network. Additionally, the growing interest in gaming and entertainment ecosystems has enhanced the appeal of the Virtuals Protocol, positioning the project as a key player in the convergence between AI and blockchain. While the overall market faced a period of uncertainty, this type of initiative demonstrates that technological innovation remains the main driver of resilience for AI tokens.
A Spectacular Rebound at Year-End
After a first half of 2024 marked by jolts and high volatility, the AI token market witnessed a spectacular turnaround during the last quarter. Between October and December, the capitalization surged by 68 %, adding nearly $25 billion. This rapid recovery is explained by the gradual return of investor confidence and by a growing adoption of blockchain solutions integrating artificial intelligence. Facing increasingly specific technological needs, utility tokens have emerged as essential assets, capable of meeting the demands of emerging sectors such as decentralized services or AI-based applications.
In this dynamic, several major projects played a central role and reignited momentum in the market. Leading the pack, the Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET/USD) distinguished itself with a remarkable performance, with an increase of 930 % to reach a capitalization of $4.2 billion. This success reflects the growing interest in AI solutions applied to decentralized systems.
Other projects also contributed to this resurgence. NEAR Protocol recorded a progression of 256 %, followed by Render (221 %) and Bittensor (147 %), illustrating the diversification of AI use cases within the blockchain universe. Meanwhile, tokens with more moderate growth, such as The Graph (GRT/USD) and Filecoin (FIL/USD), reported respective increases of 75 % and 82 %. Although less spectacular, these performances highlight the overall resilience of the sector and the ability of AI tokens to maintain a positive trajectory, even in times of uncertainty.
This renewed activity indicates that AI cryptos are no longer just a niche sector. They are now asserting themselves as an essential pillar of the convergence between blockchain and artificial intelligence, with ever-broadening technological innovation prospects. If this trend continues, it could sustainably redefine market balances and open the door to new high-value applications for the entire digital ecosystem.
Prospects for crypto linked to artificial intelligence remain promising, but they are not without uncertainties. If technological innovation continues to propel these projects to new heights, the sector remains vulnerable to regulatory fluctuations and geopolitical tensions, as demonstrated by the U.S. restrictions on AI chips. The question of the sustainability of this growth now arises: is this a structural evolution or just a speculative bubble likely to burst? However, the year 2024 proved the resilience of AI tokens. Despite the challenges faced, their ability to rebound demonstrates their central role in the convergence between blockchain and artificial intelligence. While 2023 was marked by explosive growth of 1,870 %, 2024 stands out with a consolidation phase and broader adoption that could lay the groundwork for a new technological era.
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Diplômé de Sciences Po Toulouse et titulaire d’une certification consultant blockchain délivrée par Alyra, j’ai rejoint l’aventure Cointribune en 2019.
Convaincu du potentiel de la blockchain pour transformer de nombreux secteurs de l’économie, j’ai pris l’engagement de sensibiliser et d’informer le grand public sur cet écosystème en constante évolution. Mon objectif est de permettre à chacun de mieux comprendre la blockchain et de saisir les opportunités qu’elle offre. Je m’efforce chaque jour de fournir une analyse objective de l’actualité, de décrypter les tendances du marché, de relayer les dernières innovations technologiques et de mettre en perspective les enjeux économiques et sociétaux de cette révolution en marche.
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
