The 2024 cryptocurrency market witnessed an explosive rally, spurred by Donald Trump’s victory in the Presidential Election.

Data suggest that interest in Layer 1 blockchain solutions has soared, as these platforms provide the foundation for dApps and Smart Contracts, intensifying the race for L1 dominance.

Unlikely Cryptos Take Center Stage

According to the latest report by CoinGecko, Mantra (OM) has achieved a staggering 7,035.2% increase. This surge is partly driven by its partnership with Zand, a UAE-based digital bank enabling compliant tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) under Dubais VARA framework.

Additionally, AIOZ Network (AIOZ) posted an impressive 427.6% YTD gain, fueled by the growing adoption of its decentralized content delivery network and ongoing ecosystem advancements. Sui (SUI) too secured its place among the top gainers with a 388.2% YTD rise, owing to the dApp launches that maximize its scalability, and developer-friendly tools.

Coming out of the trenches, 2024 has been a thrilling year for Layer 1 (L1) blockchains, with tokens skyrocketing by over 7,000% since January. In the fast-moving crypto space, a few unexpected tokens are redeeming the top performer spot this year.

Bitcoin, Ethereum: The OGs Remain Strong

While mid- and small-cap Layer 1 tokens have experienced explosive growth, major players like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana have proven to be resilient investments. Bitcoin demonstrated a solid 112.9% Year-to-Date (YTD) increase, while Ethereum gained 34.9%, though it lagged behind its smaller counterparts.

Over the years, Ethereums dominance has slowly diminished with the rise of Layer 2 solutions and other competing blockchains, despite the introduction of the Ethereum Spot ETF in the US. Even so, ETH still managed to outperform the SP 500, which saw a 24.8% increase in 2024.

Meanwhile, Solana rebounded strongly from the impact of FTX’s 2022 collapse, rising 134.3% YTD. Most of its growth came in 2023, driven by memecoin excitement, as its price surged from $15 to $120. This trend was also reflected in networks like Tron (TRX), which rose 85.5% YTD. Toncoin (TON), capitalizing on its integration with Telegram to host dApps, saw an impressive 136.2% YTD increase, particularly as tap-to-earn games gained immense popularity within the app.