As of late April 2025, Initia’s native token ($INIT) is trading around $0.70–$0.72. CoinMarketCap reports a price near $0.703 (down $261 M). $INIT’s rank sits around #320–#325 on CMC. (By contrast, its governance peers rank much higher – see below.) Trading volume remains healthy at ~$260–270 M daily, reflecting active interest around the recent Binance Launchpool and new exchange listings.
Tokenomics & On-Chain Activity
Initia launched mainnet on April 24, 2025. The total supply is 1 billion INIT, with roughly 148.75 M unlocked at launch. Key allocations include 25% (250 M) for Enshrined Liquidity & Staking and 25% (250 M) for VIP/community rewards. Another 6% (60 M) was used for the Binance Launch campaign (100% unlocked), and 5% (50 M) was set aside for an early supporters’ airdrop. The airdrop (50 M INIT) was claimable for 30 days post-launch, rewarding thousands of testnet participants and community members. By design, the protocol tokenomics favors community distribution: team and investor allocations (each ~15%) are vesting over years, while community and liquidity incentives are front-loaded.
On-chain data is still very limited. The Initia blockchain has only been live a few days, so broad metrics (total wallets, TVL, etc.) aren’t yet widely published. What we do know is that staking is enabled via Initia’s Enshrined Liquidity model: users secure the network by staking INIT or eligible LP tokens, earning both staking rewards and trading fees. The protocol’s inflation rate is modest: roughly 5% per year (about 12.5 M INIT annually) are released from the staking reserve. Initial reports suggest staking pools are just getting started (for example, Imperator and Leap Wallet have launched support), but comprehensive stats on total staked INIT or active validators aren’t yet available. In summary, much of INIT’s supply remains locked in reward programs or community claim windows, and we’ll need weeks of mainnet activity before robust on-chain metrics emerge.
How INIT Compares to Governance Leaders
To put INIT’s market in context, it helps to compare with established DeFi governance tokens:
Uniswap (UNI) – The governance token of the top DEX. UNI trades near $5.57, with a market cap of about $3.5 billion and 24h volume ~$160 M. UNI holders oversee a ~$1.6B treasury via Uniswap DAO. Uniswap’s long track record (launched 2020) and large user base give UNI much deeper liquidity and broader usage.
Aave (AAVE) – The lending/protocol governance token. AAVE is around $168 (market cap ≈$2.54 B, 24h volume ~$260 M). Aave is ranked ~#50, and its token can be staked for protocol rewards. Its protocol supports dozens of lending markets, making AAVE a core DeFi asset.
Maker (MKR) – MakerDAO’s token controlling the DAI stablecoin system. MKR trades roughly $1,482 (market cap ≈$1.24 B, 24h volume ~$29 M). It has only ~0.84 M coins in circulation. MKR holders vote on DAI’s parameters, and the protocol automatically burns or mints MKR in governance. While MKR’s market cap is smaller than UNI/AAVE, its deep ties to the $3+ billion DAI ecosystem give it outsized influence.
In short, UNI/AAVE/MKR each have multi-billion-dollar market caps and established use-cases, whereas INIT’s current market cap (~$0.1 B) is orders of magnitude smaller. That means INIT is a very early-stage governance token. Its technology (L1+L2 rollups, MoveVM smart contracts, etc.) and novel tokenomics (like Enshrined Liquidity) set it apart, but it still has to prove itself in use.
Key differences at a glance: Unlike mature protocols, Initia’s chain and token are brand-new. Most of INIT’s tokens are still locked or being distributed. By contrast, UNI/AAVE/MKR have freely circulating supplies that have been tested in the market for years. For example, Uniswap’s DAO has hundreds of thousands of members and a large treasury. Aave’s staking and liquidity pools have been live since 2019. Maker’s dynamic burn/mint model has stabilized DAI for years. INIT must build its community and utility from the ground up.
Nevertheless, Initia does have strong backing (Binance Labs, Delphi, etc.) and an aggressive launch strategy (Launchpool, airdrops, multi-VM support). If these features attract developers and users, INIT could follow the growth paths of its predecessors – but with the usual crypto volatility along the way.
Uniswap vs INIT: UNI’s treasury and DAO rank (310k+ members) give UNI a proven track record. INIT’s chain hasn’t operated long enough to form a DAO or treasury yet.
Aave vs INIT: AAVE’s large TVL and staking pools mean Aave has built liquidity depth. INIT’s staking is just unfolding. On the upside, INIT’s design allows staking with LP tokens across its ecosystem, potentially enhancing capital efficiency in the long term.
Maker vs INIT: MKR’s supply is tiny (0.84 M circ) but each coin is high-priced because it underpins DAI. Initia’s approach ties network security to liquidity provision, which is novel, but time will tell if it matches Maker’s impact on stablecoin markets.
Overall, INIT is starting from a lower base. This implies a higher risk/volatility profile, but also higher potential upside if adoption grows. Binance readers should note that while INIT’s recent listing and launch have been promising, its ecosystem is in the earliest stages.
Looking Ahead
In summary, $INIT launched with strong momentum (massive Launchpool participation and airdrops), but current market data is just the beginning. Technical data is being updated in real time: coin sites show ~$0.70 price and ~$100–105 M market cap. Fresh on-chain analytics (active addresses, staked amounts, governance votes) aren’t fully available yet because the mainnet is brand new. What we do know is based on tokenomics: 14.88% of the supply was circulating at launch, while 5% was airdropped to 194k testnet users and others.
Investors should watch for updates in: staking participation (how many INIT get staked or locked), liquidity on Dexes and Osmosis, and any governance proposals once the DAO kicks off. Compare these developments to the steady metrics of UNI, AAVE, MKR (with multi-billion TVLs and mature user communities) to gauge progress.
Always remember that early-stage tokens can be unpredictable. Do your own research (DYOR) — read official docs, follow project announcements, and be mindful of market conditions. We’ll continue to monitor INIT and report any major changes.
This article is for informational purposes only and not financial advice. If you’re interested in $INIT or DeFi tokens, consider this a starting point. Stay balanced, do your homework, and follow us for more updates on Initia and other crypto projects!