Opportunities and Strategies in the DeFi Boom: Uncovering New Potential - ChainCatcher

2025-09-21 02:16:14

Abstract generation in progress

Recently, the DeFi sector has been bustling again. From the short-term big pump of MYX, to the tenfold rise of AVNT, and the early earnings of Aster Airdrop exceeding tenfold, this wave of market activity has nearly plunged the entire market into a state of fear of missing out (FOMO). As an observer, I feel that this is not just a short-term frenzy driven by market sentiment, but also reflects investors' sensitivity to innovative DeFi protocols and their ability to capture potential projects. Short-term prices attract attention, but from a long-term value investment perspective, what truly deserves to be followed are projects with robust technology, reasonable ecological layout, and experienced teams.

On-chain data is very intuitive: MYX rose from $10 to $17, with the average daily trading volume nearly quadrupling; AVNT stabilized at $1, with active addresses increasing by 35% over the past week; early Aster airdrop users saw returns of over ten times, with a price increase of over 1300% within 12 hours. It can be seen that this wave of market conditions not only boosted prices but also significantly drove on-chain activity and user participation, creating a dual resonance of market sentiment and ecological vitality in the short term.

From the market dynamics, the impact of pump on the sector is very obvious. The price of Aster skyrocketing directly leads to the joint rise of early projects like MYX and AVNT; at the same time, platforms like Lighter.xyz, EdgeX_exchange, and TradeParadex also have the opportunity to become the next focus. The continuous expansion of the Base ecosystem provides investors with a clear direction—ecological dividends combined with technological advantages mean that in the tide of the sector, opportunities are always left for insightful planners. This also explains why Professor Su lamented in the morning report, "Everything that can be eaten in the secondary market, I cannot eat," as the FOMO atmosphere drives not only the price but also the market attention.

By carefully observing the entire Decentralized Finance track, it can be found that investment logic is quietly changing. In the past, the market was almost entirely driven by emotions: Airdrops and short-term pumps became the focus, and new coins were abandoned after a big pump. However, experienced investors are beginning to realize that in order to discover the next potential project amid the craze, several key traits are required:

Strong technology: sufficient trading depth, efficient matching mechanism, excellent slippage control, able to support large funds and institutional entry, while forming a natural moat in derivatives and liquidity management.
Ecological stability: Early users and community participation are the foundation, and there must also be a clear incentive mechanism and ecological layout to continuously maintain activity in the flow of funds and market expansion.
Reasonable valuation: Popular coins in the track are easily pushed up by short-term pumps. If new projects want to become long-term winners, they need to demonstrate stability in FDV and the proportion of locked tokens, while also leaving room for growth for long-term investments.

Taking BSX as an example, it has received multiple rounds of investment from Base early in the DEX track, with Blockchain Capital as the leading investor, which is a well-established institution in crypto investment. This shows the industry's recognition of its technology and team. BSX's order book trading and matching capabilities are close to HyperliquidX, demonstrating significant advantages in high-frequency trading and liquidity management. Although it does not have the short-term big pump like Aster, its robust technology and ecological layout provide low-risk investment opportunities for discerning investors. The expansion dividends of the Base ecosystem may also bring additional value to it. This indicates that projects with technological moats and ecological advantages tend to maintain steady growth after the market heat fades.

Under this standard, Orderly's performance is particularly worth following.

Technology and Trading Model: The order book trading and high-frequency matching capabilities give the platform a natural advantage in derivatives and liquidity management, while the performance in trading depth and slippage control is excellent, supporting large capital inflows and institutional participation.
Ecological layout: Orderly is advancing cooperation and community incentive measures, with the platform's activity and trading depth expected to steadily grow with the expansion of ecosystems like Base and EdgeX. Its multi-dimensional ecological strategy not only focuses on trading volume but also emphasizes community governance and long-term incentives to retain value for funds and users.
Valuation and Potential: Compared to popular coins in the sector, Orderly's fully circulating market value is still low, indicating significant potential. From the perspective of FDV and the locking ratio, Orderly is relatively stable, providing a safe boundary for long-term investors.
Financing Background: It is worth noting that Orderly has completed a total of 25 million USD in financing since its establishment, with early investors including top global institutions such as Pantera, Dragonfly, Jump, and Sequoia China. The bets from these leading capital firms also indirectly confirm its long-term potential and industry position.

Recently, everyone has been hyping $AVNT, calling it "the Hyperliquid on Base," but the data tells me that $ORDER is the severely undervalued perpetual contract opportunity. Orderly's model is more like the underlying engine of DeFi, or Web3's AWS: a unified order book + cross-chain liquidity, handling volumes that rival centralized exchanges. Currently, it supports 58 builders, with a liquidation amount reaching billions of dollars, while the price of $ORDER remains at a low valuation typical of the early stages of the track.

Data comparison shows:

In key metrics such as trading volume, TVL, and open interest (OI), Orderly is 2–6 times higher than AVNT.
But the market capitalization of $ORDER is only 1/7–1/8 of AVNT.

This is not just an undervaluation; it seems more like a market pricing error. Simple valuation models indicate that the fair value of $ORDER should be above $2.5, while the current trading price has just surpassed $0.15. Once the market realizes its true value, the price may correct quickly rather than slowly returning to a fair price, creating strong upward momentum.

It is worth emphasizing that Orderly is not only competing with other perp DEXs, but it is also building a full-chain, full-ecosystem infrastructure, aiming directly at a CME-level clearing system. In other words, its value is not only reflected in short-term market conditions, but also in the foundation and long-term potential within the entire Decentralized Finance ecosystem.

In light of recent market dynamics, DeFi investment strategies can be divided into short-term arbitrage and long-term positioning. Short-term arbitrage opportunities are evident: seize the gains from pumps and Airdrops, making quick profits like MYX, AVNT, and Aster. However, long-term positioning tests one's vision; truly solid opportunities are often hidden within projects that have strong technology, a complete ecosystem, and experienced teams. Orderly is such a case: it may not be fully recognized by the market immediately, but as the DeFi track matures, these undervalued tech projects typically welcome a reassessment of their value.

From the investor's perspective, the DeFi boom is not only about chasing short-term big profits but also a re-evaluation process of track potential, technological innovation, and ecological layout. In this process, Orderly meets the three key dimensions of technology, ecology, and valuation, allowing it to avoid short-term noise while capturing long-term growth opportunities.

In summary, the DeFi craze brings not only price fluctuations but also a window to observe, understand, and explore potential projects. Rational investors should remain calm during the frenzy, following the trends of the sector and the core value of the projects. Orderly, as a tech-oriented potential coin, is undoubtedly worth continuous attention. In the coming months, with the return of market funds and the release of ecological dividends, the performance of Orderly will be an important window to observe the maturity of DeFi and the logic of potential investments.

Click to learn about the job openings at ChainCatcher.