Story Protocol rallies on Asian demand – But THESE IP signals urge caution

While most intellectual property–focused tokens lagged during the market rebound, Story Protocol [IP] broke higher.

The token gained roughly 25% within 24 hours, marking its strongest daily performance in recent weeks. Buyers stepped in as broader conditions stabilized.

Asian investors light the fuse

Trading activity surged alongside price, with total IP volume jumping by roughly 789% during the rally. Daily trading volume climbed to $157 million as investors aggressively exchanged positions.

Data pointed to Asian traders as the main force behind the move. South Korea–based Upbit accounted for 45% of total trading volume, translating to $70.8 million—nearly half of all activity. In contrast, U.S.-based Coinbase recorded just 2.82% of volume.

The exact trigger behind the sudden rush of interest from Asian investors remains unclear. However, the impact is visible in the speed and strength of IP’s advance.

Source: CoinMarketCap

Perpetual market positioning also leaned cautiously bullish.

Long positions slightly outweighed shorts over the past day, reflecting modest upside positioning. At press time, the Long/Short Ratio hovered near 1.00, indicating balance rather than conviction.

Momentum builds, but caution lingers

Despite the improving structure, technical indicators suggest that optimism may not run unchallenged.

On the chart, IP formed a cup-and-handle pattern, a structure often associated with continuation. Confirmation, however, remained incomplete.

The Accumulation/Distribution (A/D) indicator stayed in negative territory, signaling lingering sell-side pressure. Although the reading improved from roughly -63.8 million to near -63.3 million, net distribution persisted.

Source: TradingView

Meanwhile, the Money Flow Index (MFI) painted a more stretched picture.

IP’s Money Flow Index climbed above 90, well into overbought territory. Such readings historically increase pullback risk. That imbalance suggested recent gains may face consolidation before further upside.

Perpetual sellers tighten their grip

While the perpetual market volume has tilted slightly in favor of bulls, the broader perpetual market paints a more restrained picture.

The Open Interest–Weighted Funding Rate, which tracks whether traders are opening more long or short contracts, shows stronger sell-side participation.

Source: CoinGlass

A positive Funding Rate points to seller dominance, while a negative reading signals buyer control. Data at press time showed a negative reading of -0.1638, confirming that sellers continue to hold the upper hand in the perpetual market.

This growing sell-side pressure loads the downside risk and suggests that IP’s rally, while impressive, may face resistance before any sustained continuation.

Final Thoughts

• Story Protocol’s [IP] rally reflected strong spot demand, but Derivatives positioning showed traders remained cautious.
• That divergence may keep volatility elevated as price searches for confirmation. Whether buyers regain control could shape IP’s next decisive move.