Cardano still matters, but the market rarely hands out wins to just one project. As ADA’s roadmap debates play out, other tokens are building traction through developer activity, institutional signals, or straight-up trader momentum. Below are four names worth watching this cycle: Little Pepe (LILPEPE), Aster, Pump.fun, and Kaspa. I’ll keep each take tight and practical.
Cardano (ADA): Governance And Bitcoin Bridges Set The Stage
Charles Hoskinson has been blunt about Cardano’s DeFi gap. He argues that the network has a deep pool of users and stakeholders, comprising roughly 1.3 million people who hold more than $15 billion in ADA. However, many holders remain passive, rather than supplying liquidity or utilizing DeFi apps. That’s a governance and coordination problem, not a tech one, he says, and the roadmap now ties DeFi growth to Bitcoin interoperability through projects like Midnight and RealFi.
If Cardano can actually move on those integrations, billions in new liquidity could follow. For traders, this means ADA could re-enter a broader rotation once concrete cross-chain rails and real-world lending primitives demonstrate traction.
Little Pepe (LILPEPE): Meme Culture With A Layer 2 Backbone
LILPEPE is still under $0.003 and has already raised north of $27 million in presale. Early buyers saw triple-digit gains, but the real story is infrastructure. The team is building an EVM-compatible Layer 2 designed for meme traders and micro-cap developers. Features include zero gas fees and sniper-bot protection, which aim to make token launches cleaner and less painful. They also completed a CertiK audit and published transparent vesting. Community events, such as a $777k Giveaway and a 15 ETH mega event, have driven engagement. In short, it blends meme energy with practical tools, a rare combination right now.
Aster (ASTER): Rapid utility after a CZ-backed pop
Aster turned speculative interest into immediate utility. After CZ publicly bought about $2 million of ASTER, the token surged, and three days later, Aster DEX enabled ASTER as collateral for perpetuals with an 80% margin ratio. Traders get a 5% fee discount when using ASTER as collateral. That creates real reasons to hold the token beyond price speculation.
Volume spiked and TVL rose as traders began using ASTER as collateral. The timing is suspicious to some, but utility now exists. If the chain’s privacy-first design and L1 roadmap deliver, ASTER could continue to attract leveraged flows and active traders.
Pump.fun (PUMP): Launchpad Pivot From Memes To Utility
Pump.fun made its name by powering Solana’s memecoin boom and has generated substantial revenue since its launch. The team is pivoting to support utility token launches, addressing discoverability and liquidity gaps that cripple many new projects. The platform claims its revamped framework helps tokenize real startups, and traders have welcomed the news. PUMP pushed higher on the update.
That shift matters because launchpads that survive will be the ones that support viable projects, not just viral launches. If Pump.fun can pair its traffic with stronger vetting and developer tools, PUMP may trade as a utility play rather than a pure meme token.
Kaspa (KAS): Whales Accumulating, Technicals Flirting With Breakout
Kaspa has been on whales’ radars again. Futures average order size ticked up, and CryptoQuant shows accumulation around $0.06. Daily indicators flashed overbought at the 20-day EMA, so a short cool-off is possible, but the on-chain signal is pretty clear: big players are positioning for more upside.
The bias stays bullish while KAS holds above $0.05. A clean move past the 20-day EMA could open $0.07 to $0.08 targets. For traders who like whale-led setups, Kaspa’s current profile is worth watching.
Bottom Line: Diversify The Playbook
Cardano’s long game matters, but growth in 2025 will come from many corners. Little Pepe (LILPEPE) is the asymmetric meme bet with real rails. Aster demonstrates how quickly utility can alter a narrative. Pump.fun is trying to outgrow speculative roots, and Kaspa is where whales are reloading. If you want early exposure to the meme-infrastructure story, LILPEPE’s presale is still live, and community activity is high. For everyone else, carefully position sizes and match risk to your timeline. Markets can swing fast, and the names above each offer a different path to upside.
For more information about Little Pepe (LILPEPE) visit the links below:
Website: https://littlepepe.com
Whitepaper: https://littlepepe.com/whitepaper.pdf
Telegram: https://t.me/littlepepetoken
Twitter/X: https://x.com/littlepepetoken
$777k Giveaway: https://littlepepe.com/777k-giveaway/