๐ The Evolution of BNB: From Fees to Global DeFi Infrastructure
BNB launched just over three years ago. It initially found its way to the crypto market through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) taking place from June 26 to July 3, 2017. BNB was immediately usable as payment for transaction fees on the new cryptocurrency exchange, Binance.com, launched just 11 days after the ICO. Paying transaction fees in BNB offers users a significant discount. The initial price during the ICO was 1 $ETH for 2,700 $BNB or 1 $BTC for 20,000 BNB, which, at the time, equaled roughly $0.15 per 1 BNB. In this article, we'll explore BNBโs rise to the top, its utility and use cases, and a comparison of BNB to other top-ranking cryptocurrencies.
BNB and its rise to the top #BNBBreaksATH BNB holds the third-largest cryptocurrency position by market cap at the time of writing at over $42 billion (USD). It follows Ethereum in second place and Bitcoin in first. To reach ETHโs position, BNB needs to multiply its market cap five times; to reach BTC, it needs to grow twenty times. There is a long journey ahead indeed, but letโs look at the journey so far. From paying Binance trading fees through to sending tokens on BSC, the amount of BNB transactions has continuously risen. March 2021 saw over 84 million alone, and the upward trend looks to grow. How did BNB get to where it is now, from not even being in the top five just two months ago? What started as a simple utility token has evolved into something much more complex. BNBโs simple purpose of paying discounted Binance trading fees was only the beginning. We are now dealing with a token with its own native blockchain and a vast range of use cases. These cases arenโt just limited to the Binance ecosystem either. Deployed initially on Ethereum as an ERC-20 token, BNB has since migrated to its new home: BNB Chain. Here it has a place as the networkโs native token and also powers the recently launched BNB Smart Chain. Millions of Binance.com customers use BNB for trading and transaction fees and much more. BNB is also available for use as collateral for crypto loans. There is no single reason why users hold BNB, and many likely have BNB for reasons that vary. BNB Chain has shown to be hugely popular with developers and users alike. As the ecosystem has matured with decentralized applications and use cases, so too has the adoption of BNB. A large, diverse BSC and DeFi community developing new projects has become the tokenโs principal advocate. These external contributors are becoming significant players, including merchant payment companies, travel booking platforms, in-game rewards offerers, and virtual gift providers. They all continue to find strong use cases and attract new audiences to BNB.
BNB within the Binance ecosystem @BNB Chain Both the BNB Beacon Chain and BNB Smart Chain blockchains use BNB as gas for transaction fees. BSC further elevates BNB to a proof of stake token for the new Proof of Staked Authority (PoSA) consensus powered by validators and delegators. BNB Smart Chain Ecosystem BNB powers hundreds of projects running on the BNB Smart Chain. You can use it in DeFi, liquidity pools, DEX trading, or as a payment for NFT marketplaces. Binance.com & Binance DEX Fees You can currently use BNB to pay for your trading fees on Binance.com and Binance DEX with a 25% discount (which reduces over time). If you're a trader, operate trading bots, or run a crypto business, you can save thousands of dollars on fees by using BNB. Binance Earn With Binance Earn, you can use your BNB to purchase multiple, separate products such as Staking, Launchpool, BNB Vault, or Liquid Swap. Binance Card Binance Card is a crypto-powered Visa debit card allowing you to use BNB to pay for your shopping, bills, mortgage, and pretty much anything you want. You can pay with BNB at over 40 million merchants worldwide. Get your card today! Binance Crypto Loans Use BNB as collateral and get fast access to a simple and straightforward crypto loan with no hidden fees or costs. Borrow BTC, ETH, BUSD, USDT, and more, and choose a loan term ranging from 7 to 180 days.
BNB outside the Binance ecosystem Accommodation & Travel #Binance With Travala.com, you can buy flights, pay for your hotel, and even rent a car with BNB. There's nothing better than enjoying your crypto gains with a lovely holiday paid for with Binance Coin. Shopping Hundreds of online vendors and merchants accept BNB as payment for goods or services. You can use them directly from your wallet, Binance account, or Binance Card. Gaming Many gaming sites allow you to use BNB to pay for lottery tickets, participate in sports-related games, or treat BNB as game tokens for live roulette or slot machines. Real Estate With BNB, you can buy just about everything, including physical real estate. Did you always want to buy your dream house with crypto? Now you can, using BNB. BNB and its economic potential Now that we know where and how to use BNB, letโs explore the tokenโs future. It's essential to understand where the economic potential of BNB as a utility token lies. Unlike security tokens, utility tokens don't represent the company or organizationโs value that issued them. Third parties who transact in and accept BNB impact the tokenโs value for its users. Owning BNB doesnโt represent any stake or share in Binance. By buying BNB, itโs essential to understand that youโre not actually investing in Binance. Simply put, a utility tokenโs value comes from its scarcity, sustainability, different use cases, and other factors. "The long-term vision for BNB is for it to become the native token on multiple application-specific blockchains. BNB was never intended to replace Bitcoin or Ethereum. To become a true mass-adopted application, BNB must be able to facilitate billions of transactions per day. In its current form(s), we still have a long way to go." - CZ, CEO of Binance.com @CZ Thanks to the BNB Burn Plan, Binance prevents future inflation of BNB-denominated goods and services driven by an increase in the supply of BNB. Upcoming BNB burns reduce the circulating supply, thus making BNB scarcer. Through this plan, Binance has burned a total of 29,467,175 BNB held in Binanceโs treasury since its establishment in 2017. It's easy to verify the circulating and maximum future supply of BNB and future BNB burns. Scarce assets with added value tend to grow in price over time if the demand increases and supply remains limited. With BNBโs wide range of use cases, supply constraints, and massive community support, incidental appreciation of BNB may occur. The community behind BNB Smart Chain as the driving force #BSC As we have mentioned, perhaps the most crucial factor affecting the value of a utility token is its usage. We can hardly call something a utility token if it has no use cases. The previous list of these cases makes it clear that the tokenโs utility is vast and ever-evolving. With BSCโs only recent September 2020 launch and its tremendous growth, the use of BNB is guaranteed to increase with more BSC users. 2021 looks to be another innovative and driving year for BSCโs underlying blockchain technology. With plans underway to build cross-chain financial infrastructure, there will be more opportunities to bridge the gap between DeFi and CeFi (centralized finance). This development lays the foundations for the growth of a more diverse community and improved BNB adoption. #DEFฤฐ
BounceBit has drawn attention by gamifying liquidity and user participation. These mechanics can attract short-term hype and new users, but sustainability will depend on converting participants into long-term community members.
The crypto space has seen gamified models before โ some succeeded, others burned out once rewards dried up. BounceBit needs to show that its product can keep people engaged after the novelty wears off.
My take: BounceBit has strong potential to capture attention, but to build a lasting ecosystem it must prove real product-market fit beyond gamification.
OpenLedger is combining blockchain transparency with the AI content economy. By making IP, ownership, and settlement verifiable on-chain, it offers creators and enterprises trust in how AI-generated works are used and licensed.
This approach could unlock a massive opportunity โ as AI adoption grows, so does the need for trustworthy rights management. The challenge will be simplifying the user experience so creators can onboard without technical barriers.
My take: If OpenLedger delivers simple, creator-friendly UX, it could become a go-to platform for AI IP on blockchain.
Holoworld AI: Can HOLO Lead the AI + Web3 Narrative?
Holoworld AI has quickly gained traction in the crypto market with listings on Binance, HTX, and KuCoin, along with a ~30M token airdrop to BNB holders. Its staking program โ with no minimum requirement โ also makes it more accessible to retail investors.
However, only ~17% of the total supply is in circulation. This creates the potential for volatility once unlocks start rolling out. The real test will be whether Holoworldโs ecosystem of AI-driven applications and agentic IPs can secure real adoption.
My take: HOLO is riding the AI + Web3 trend at the right time. If the team can prove product adoption, it could transition from a speculative token to a long-term ecosystem player.
Pyth has become one of the leading oracle networks, providing low-latency, reliable data feeds that are crucial for DeFi protocols. Its partnerships with exchanges and apps strengthen its role in powering decentralized trading.
The oracle sector is competitive, but Pythโs strategy of focusing on speed and accuracy gives it an edge. The more protocols integrate with it, the stronger its moat becomes.
My take: Oracles may not be flashy, but they are the backbone of DeFi. Pythโs growth reflects the importance of reliable infrastructure.
BlackRockโs $40 Billion Bet on a Lesser-Known Data Center Firm
Aligned Data Centers is in advanced discussions to be acquired by BlackRock Inc.'s Global Infrastructure Partners in a $40 billion deal.
The company had raised $12 billion in equity and debt at the start of the year to expand its footprint and support surging demand for facilities that power AI systems.
#Aligned has 78 data centers under management or in development across the Americas, with the goal of building out 5 gigawatts of data center capacity to meet growing demand for AI-ready infrastructure.
Mitosis is betting on modular scaling to reduce costs and improve execution for smart contracts. For developers, modular chains can improve composability and simplify complex dApp architecture.
Adoption, however, depends on ease of migration. Developers wonโt switch unless the transition is smooth and offers clear benefits.
My take: If @Mitosis Official can deliver painless migration tools and a better developer experience, it could attract serious traction in the modular ecosystem.
When the President of the United States says the traditional financial system is broken and that crypto will fix it, the message couldnโt be louder. The world is watching as global leaders start to acknowledge what the crypto community has known for years โ blockchain is the future of finance. $BTC $BNB
๐ฅ Even CZ himself called it out: โCrypto President!โ @CZ
This moment isnโt just about politics โ itโs about validation. Decentralized technology is no longer an outsiderโฆ itโs becoming the center of innovation and reform.
โ๏ธ Whether you support or oppose the figure behind it, one thingโs clear โ crypto is now part of the global conversation at the highest level.
Boundless is working to simplify Web3 onboarding and empower creators to build immersive, scalable digital experiences. Its focus on UX-first design is key to making Web3 products mainstream-ready.
In a space where many projects chase hype, Boundless appears more focused on solving real adoption bottlenecks โ accessibility and usability.
My take: If Boundless succeeds in blending Web3 with smooth UX, it could drive the next wave of creator-led adoption.
Ethereum DEX trading activity has reached a record high. In Q3, ETH DEX volume hit a new all-time high. This shows rising onchain trading and strong DeFi participation. $ETH
Somnia (SOMI) is a high-performance, EVM-compatible Layer 1 blockchain engineered for real-time, mass-consumer applications โ think gaming, social platforms, metaverse, and entertainment.
Key tech features include: MultiStream consensus + IceDB (low-latency database) to optimize concurrency and data throughput Sub-second finality and ultra-high TPS (claims of 1M+ TPS) Deflationary tokenomics: 50% of transaction fees are burned, the rest distributed to validators Fixed total supply: 1 billion $SOMI with gradual vesting schedules for team, investors, ecosystem, etc. @Somnia Official mainnet launched on September 2, 2025, after a testnet phase that processed over 10 billion+ transactions. #Somnia
Market Action & Recent Trends: Price Surge & ATH SOMI recently blasted ~+60% in 24 hours, reaching a new all-time high near $1.84. The rally was supported by strong volume, trading activity that in some snapshots exceeded the tokenโs market cap multiples. A key catalyst: a newly announced partnership with ZNS Connect, enabling domain + identity integrations and smart contract features.
Pullback, Open Interest & Sentiment: After the climb, SOMI underwent a correction: open interest (in futures/derivatives) dropped ~51%, and price dipped ~18%. Technical indicators (RSI, trendlines) suggest there may be a consolidation phase before further direction is confirmed. Some reports warn of fading momentum and profit-taking by early investors.
Current Price & Supply State: As of latest data, SOMI trades in the $0.80-$1.10 range (fluctuating by exchange and snapshot). Circulating supply is modest relative to the total: ~16 % (โ160 million SOMI) currently in circulation.
Whatโs Fueling the Buzz: 1. Strong launch & listing: SOMI got immediate exposure via Binance and other major CEXs at launch, which helped drive liquidity and attention. 2. Developer & ecosystem incentives: Somnia is rolling out programs like Dream Catalyst Accelerator and hackathons to onboard dApps, especially in DeFi, AI, SocialFi. 3. Real use case focus: Unlike many new blockchains focused narrowly on DeFi, Somnia targets high-throughput applications: live social apps, gaming, interactive metaverse uses. 4. Tokenomics & deflation mechanics: The burn mechanism (50% fees destroyed) adds downward pressure on supply as usage grows. 5. Partnerships & integrations: The integration with ZNS Connect strengthens identity & domain interoperability in Somniaโs ecosystem.
Risks & What to Monitor: Volatility & corrections โ As seen, boom starts often lead to pullbacks and profit-taking. Sustaining ecosystem growth โ For Somnia to maintain value, it needs real usage: strong apps, communities, adoption. Competition โ It enters a crowded space with many high-performance L1s vying for developer mindshare. Token unlocking & vesting โ Future unlocks (team, ecosystem, investors) may introduce sell pressure. Regulatory environment โ As with all crypto, changing rules globally could impact trajectory.
Outlook & What to Watch: Reclaim zones: Watch if SOMI can hold or break above $0.90โ$1.00 to confirm bullish momentum. New ATH move: If it retakes gains, new highs beyond $1.80 could come into play. Ecosystem announcements: Any new dApp launches, alliances, or metaverse projects on Somnia could drive renewed interest. Network metrics: Monitoring TPS usage, transaction count, active addresses โ real on-chain adoption is key.
New Discovery: Mitosis ($MITO) โStopwatchโ Ensures Cellular Quality Control
Researchers have identified a biochemical โstopwatchโ mechanism that times the duration of mitosis and helps prevent cells that take too long from proliferating furtherโserving as a built-in quality control system against potential cancerous growths.
What They Found : Mitosis (the process by which one cell splits its chromosomes into two daughter cells) normally takes - 30 minutes. The team discovered a pathway that monitors how long a cell spends in mitosis. If mitosis is delayed beyond a certain threshold, that โmemoryโ is passed to daughter cells, which may inhibit further division as a safety measure. The mechanism involves proteins including p53, a well-known tumor suppressor gene. Many cancers appear to disable this stopwatch, tolerating prolonged mitotic errors and genome instability.
Why It Matters: This discovery offers a new lens through which to view how cells maintain genomic integrity and suppress tumor development. The stopwatch could become a biomarker to assess cancer risk or progression. Future therapies might target this timing mechanism to selectively penalize or stop faulty cell division in cancer cells.
Related & Emerging Topics in Mitosis Research: Mitosis in cancer cells: Some cancers โcheatโ during @Mitosis Official by passing on especially malignant chromosome sets to daughter cells. Inducing mitosis in developmental biology: Recent work shows experimental induction of a reductive division (called โmitomeiosisโ) in human somatic cells via oocyte cytoplasm manipulation. AI in pathology: A new teacher-student model has been introduced for detecting and classifying mitotic figures in images (MIDOG 2025 challenge), improving pathology workflows. Domain-adaptable detection: Researchers proposed a Mamba-based method to make mitosis detection robust under shifting image domains (staining or slide variations). #Mitosis $MITO
โฐ Only 5 days left to complete your tasks and grab your share of the 70,000 $SOMI rewards!
๐ฅ Over 35,000+ participants have already joined โ donโt miss your chance to earn and be part of Somniaโs EVM-compatible Layer 1 revolution built for mass consumer apps!
๐จ BREAKING: XRP Advocate Pushes for Crypto Clarity! Rippleโs Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty has voiced strong support for Mike Seligโs nomination to the CFTC, urging regulators to harmonize rules between the CFTC and SEC. โ๏ธ
This comes as Brian Quintenz withdraws from consideration โ clearing the path for Selig, known for his pro-innovation stance and balanced approach to digital assets.
๐ฌ Alderoty: โItโs time to end the turf wars and build a unified framework that empowers responsible crypto growth.โ
AltLayer Supports Gattacaโs Based Rollup Stack โ โBack to Fundamentals, Forward with Techโ A post on Medium by AltLayer discusses the recent integration of Gattacaโs based rollup stack into AltLayerโs infrastructure.
Benefits highlighted include:
Millisecond-level transaction confirmations
Better protection from MEV (Miner / Maximal Extractable Value)
AltLayer now supports Gattacaโs based rollup stack, which upgrades OP Stack rollups by adding pre-confirmation functionality.
The idea is to avoid reliance on a single centralized sequencer. Instead, Gattaca uses Ethereum validators to pre-confirm transactions, giving users faster guarantees and improved decentralization.