Why did the price of VIRTUAL go up?

Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) increased by 0.37% over the last 24 hours, reaching $0.801. This performance was below the overall crypto market, which rose by 1.62%. The recent uptick comes after a sharp 12% drop earlier this week following its listing on Robinhood. Technical signals and new developments in the Virtuals ecosystem suggest cautious optimism among investors.

1. Recovery After Selloff – The Relative Strength Index (RSI) shows oversold conditions at 40.86, with buying interest picking up.
2. Ecosystem Growth – Launch of the Unicorn platform and integration of Visa spending through VPay.
3. Market Mood – Partial price recovery aligns with a broader rebound in crypto liquidity.

Deep Dive

1. Technical Rebound (Mixed Signals)

Overview: VIRTUAL’s RSI at 40.86 indicates it was close to being oversold, while the MACD histogram (-0.011) points to weakening downward momentum. The price is still below important averages like the 30-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at $0.99. However, a positive sign comes from the Awesome Oscillator, which suggests some short-term buying interest after the Robinhood-related selloff.

What this means: Traders may see the oversold status as a chance to buy, but trading volume ($78.4 million) is relatively low compared to the market average, which limits confidence. The 30-day SMA at $0.99 now acts as a key resistance level to watch.

What to watch: If VIRTUAL can break and hold above $0.85, it could signal a shift in momentum. Failing to do so might lead to testing the October low of $0.74 again.

2. Ecosystem Developments (Positive Outlook)

Overview: Virtuals recently launched Unicorn, an AI-powered project launchpad that requires 100 VIRTUAL tokens per project, effectively reducing the token supply through burning. Additionally, 5% of new tokens are airdropped to users who stake their tokens. Alongside this, VPay 1.1 was introduced, allowing users to spend VIRTUAL tokens via Visa cards.

What this means: These updates encourage holding and staking of VIRTUAL tokens by offering rewards and practical use cases, such as everyday spending. However, Unicorn’s 99% anti-sniper tax on early trades could limit short-term trading activity and liquidity.

What to watch: Adoption rates of VPay and the number of projects launched on Unicorn will be important indicators of ecosystem growth.

3. Market Context (Neutral Impact)

Overview: While the overall crypto market rose by 1.62%, VIRTUAL’s modest 0.37% gain shows lingering caution after a 36% drop over the past 30 days. The Fear & Greed Index at 30/100 and the Altcoin Season Index at 27/100 reflect a risk-averse investor sentiment.

What this means: VIRTUAL is not benefiting from the speculative momentum driving many altcoins higher. Its market capitalization of $525 million remains 57% below its peak in September, indicating ongoing challenges in valuation.

Conclusion

VIRTUAL’s slight rebound is driven by technical buying and positive ecosystem updates, but broader market skepticism and volatility following its Robinhood listing limit upside potential. Traders seem to prefer buying on dips rather than betting on a full trend reversal. The success of protocol features like VPay and Unicorn will take time to develop.

Key watch: Will Unicorn’s anti-sniper tax discourage liquidity while supporting project launches? Keep an eye on VIRTUAL’s exchange netflow data to see if staking activity outweighs selling pressure.

What could affect the price of VIRTUAL?

Virtuals Protocol is caught between exciting AI developments and challenging market conditions.

1. AI DApp Launch (Positive) – A new product coming soon could boost activity in the ecosystem.
2. User Drop-Off (Negative) – Daily active wallets have fallen by 90% since Q3 2025.
3. Exchange Listings (Mixed Impact) – Robinhood listing led to a 12% price drop.

In-Depth Look

1. AI DApp Launch & Ecosystem Growth (Positive)

What’s Happening: Virtuals Protocol is set to release its first AI-powered decentralized app (DApp) by early November 2025. This app will expand how autonomous agents are used in decentralized finance (DeFi) and gaming. The protocol recently partnered with the Ethereum Foundation (announcement) and integrated with Coinbase’s Retail DEX, showing progress in its technical infrastructure.

Why It Matters: If the AI DApp is successful, it could increase demand for $VIRTUAL tokens, which are needed to create and operate these agents. The Ethereum partnership also opens doors for more developers to build on the platform. For context, NVIDIA’s AI-related stock rally in Q3 2025 boosted the entire sector’s value by 8.8% (Coinspeaker).

2. User Retention Crisis (Negative)

What’s Happening: The number of daily active wallets dropped sharply from 10,000 to between 1,000 and 1,500 in Q3 2025 (Cointribune). Monthly revenue fell 94% year-over-year, down to $200,000, reducing demand for the $VIRTUAL token.

Why It Matters: Fewer active users mean less fee revenue for the protocol, which could lead to more selling pressure on the token. Currently, $VIRTUAL trades 57% below its 30-day average price ($0.99 vs. $0.801), signaling weakness.

3. Exchange Listings & Market Sentiment (Mixed Impact)

What’s Happening: When Robinhood listed Virtuals Protocol on October 16, the token’s price dropped 12% (CCN). However, technical indicators like the Money Flow Index (MFI) rising and green bars on the Awesome Oscillator (AO) suggest buyers are stepping in around the $0.74 support level.

Why It Matters: Being listed on major exchanges increases liquidity but can also cause price swings. With the crypto fear/greed index at 30 (CMC) and Bitcoin’s market dominance down 6.87% over the past month, altcoins like $VIRTUAL may remain volatile for some time.

Conclusion

The future price of $VIRTUAL depends heavily on whether the new AI DApp can attract users and reverse the current decline. At the same time, overall market conditions will challenge holders’ patience. A key question is whether protocol revenue can recover above $1 million per month—a critical level for long-term sustainability—before treasury adjustments planned for Q4 2025.

What are people saying about VIRTUAL?

Virtuals Protocol is making waves with AI innovation amid some market uncertainty. Here’s the quick take:

1. Developers are excited about the Unicorn launchpad, which supports merit-based AI agent launches 🚀
2. Traders are cautious, as VIRTUAL’s price follows a dip in the AI agent market 📉
3. Expansion into China sparks talk about deeper integration with the Ethereum ecosystem 🇨🇳

Deep Dive

1. @virtuals_io: Unicorn Launchpad Launches (Positive)

"Founders pay 100 $VIRTUAL fee, early trades face 99% anti-sniper tax + 5% airdrop to stakers"
– @virtuals_io (387K followers · 2.1M impressions · 2025-10-08 06:22 UTC)
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What this means: This setup encourages long-term commitment by linking team rewards to performance and giving loyal holders extra benefits, which could help reduce selling pressure.

2. @gkisokay: AI Agent Market Shows Weakness (Negative)

"$VIRTUAL down 9.47% as the AI sector’s market cap falls to $16.66 billion; smaller AI projects like PREDI up 16%"
– @gkisokay (112K followers · 890K impressions · 2025-10-08 06:22 UTC)
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What this means: Investors might be shifting focus to newer AI projects, which puts pressure on VIRTUAL’s price, currently down 57% from its all-time high.

3. @virtuals_io: Shenzhen Meetup Highlights Asia Expansion (Neutral)

"Connecting with Ethereum developers to explore AI and Ethereum Virtual Network (EVN) collaboration"
– @virtuals_io (387K followers · 1.4M impressions · 2025-08-18 22:57 UTC)
View original post
What this means: Expanding physically into Asia could help attract more developers, but Virtuals faces competition from local Layer 2 solutions like Scroll and Polygon zkEVM.

Conclusion

The outlook for $VIRTUAL is mixed. There’s optimism around ecosystem growth thanks to the Unicorn launchpad and global meetups, but the price has dropped 36% this month amid sector rotation. Keep an eye on the AI agent market cap (currently $16.73 billion): if it climbs back above $17 billion, it could spark renewed interest in infrastructure projects like Virtuals.

What is the latest news about VIRTUAL?

Virtuals Protocol is navigating some challenges after its Robinhood listing, but its ecosystem continues to grow despite a tough market. Here’s the latest:

1. Robinhood Listing Causes Price Drop (October 18, 2025) – VIRTUALS fell 12% after listing, but technical signs suggest it might bounce back.
2. VIRTUALS Listed on Robinhood (October 16, 2025) – The coin became more accessible, even as the overall market remained unstable.
3. Ecosystem Grows (October 13, 2025) – New AI tools, prediction markets, and Visa payment integration launched.

In-Depth Look

1. Robinhood Listing Causes Price Drop (October 18, 2025)

What happened: After VIRTUALS debuted on Robinhood on October 16, its price dropped 12% to $0.74 within a day as traders sold off their holdings. However, technical indicators like the Money Flow Index (MFI) and Awesome Oscillator (AO) are showing signs of increased buying interest. If the price breaks above $0.80, it could climb toward $1.15 to $1.70.

What it means: This drop is likely short-term profit-taking, not a sign of long-term problems. Recovery depends on the overall altcoin market, which has been weak (down 65.38% year-over-year). While some metrics suggest investors are accumulating VIRTUALS, low trading volume means prices could still be volatile. (CCN)

2. VIRTUALS Listed on Robinhood (October 16, 2025)

What happened: Robinhood added VIRTUALS along with other coins like ASTER and XPL, aiming to attract institutional investors interested in AI-powered decentralized finance (DeFi). VIRTUALS supports autonomous AI agents that manage DeFi portfolios and execute smart contracts. Despite the listing, overall crypto trading volume dropped 22% that week, and Bitcoin’s price fell below $109,000, slowing momentum.

What it means: The listing confirms VIRTUALS’ role in AI-driven DeFi but also shows how sensitive it is to broader market trends. Robinhood’s own stock dropped 12% in five days, reflecting the market’s fragile state after a $19 billion liquidation event. Long-term success will depend on proving that these AI agents offer real value beyond just trading hype. (Coinspeaker)

3. Ecosystem Grows (October 13, 2025)

What happened: Virtuals Protocol launched over 15 upgrades, including:

• VPay 1.1: Allows spending $VIRTUAL worldwide through Visa.
• Waveform: No-code AI trading agents that recently showed a 485% gain on a $PCULE trade.
• Symphony-Pendle integration: Automated strategies to earn yield on investments.

What it means: These updates make VIRTUALS more useful and accessible. The Visa integration helps bridge the gap between crypto and everyday spending, while AI tools attract developers even though the AI agent market has seen a 3.38% weekly decline. (@virtuals_io)

Conclusion

VIRTUALS is facing mixed signals: the price dropped after the Robinhood listing, but the ecosystem is innovating strongly. Keep an eye on whether buying interest stays above $0.80 and if Visa-powered payments gain traction. The big question is whether the practical uses of AI agents can keep momentum going once the excitement from the listing fades in this cautious market.

What is expected in the development of VIRTUAL?

Virtuals Protocol is focused on growing its AI agent capabilities and expanding its ecosystem connections.

1. Ethereum Hackathon (Q4 2025) – A $100,000 competition to speed up the development of specialized AI agents.
2. Agent Commerce Protocol (ACP) Expansion (Q4 2025) – Rewards for AI agents that work together and support commerce.
3. Global Builder Workshops (Ongoing) – Events in Asia to encourage more developers to join the platform.
4. USDC Integration (Live) – Allows AI agents to use the stablecoin USDC for transactions.

Deep Dive

1. Ethereum Hackathon (Q4 2025)

Overview: Virtuals Protocol teamed up with the Ethereum Foundation to host a $100,000 hackathon. The goal is to create advanced AI agents that can be used in areas like decentralized finance (DeFi), robotics, and privacy. Workshops will teach developers about building and scaling these agents (Virtuals Protocol).
What this means: This is a positive sign for VIRTUAL because successful projects could increase demand for its technology and token. However, there’s a chance that submissions might be delayed or fewer developers participate than expected.

2. Agent Commerce Protocol (ACP) Expansion (Q4 2025)

Overview: Virtuals updated its Genesis point system to give priority to AI agents that use the ACP, rewarding those that help with commerce and coordination. This encourages developers to build AI tools that work well together (Cryptobriefing).
What this means: This update is somewhat positive because wider ACP use could add value to the ecosystem, but it depends on how many developers adopt it.

3. Global Builder Workshops (Ongoing)

Overview: Virtuals has been hosting workshops in cities like Hangzhou and Shenzhen to attract developers in Asia. The goal is to grow its AI agent infrastructure and support local use cases (Virtuals Protocol).
What this means: This is good for long-term growth, though regulatory challenges in the region could slow progress.

4. USDC Integration (Live)

Overview: Since August 12, 2025, AI agents on Virtuals Protocol can use USDC, a popular stablecoin, for transactions. This improves liquidity and makes cross-border payments easier (Virtuals Protocol).
What this means: This is neutral in the short term but could be positive if it leads to more transactions by AI agents.

Conclusion

Virtuals Protocol is working to grow its ecosystem by encouraging developers, reaching out globally, and integrating stablecoins like USDC. Although the token price has dropped 57% over the past 90 days, reflecting wider market uncertainty, upcoming events like the Ethereum hackathon and ACP improvements could boost interest. A key question remains: how will Ethereum’s AI agent adoption stack up against competitors like Base’s Layer 2 solutions?

What updates are there in the VIRTUAL code base?

Virtuals Protocol is making important updates focused on cross-chain AI agents, security, and governance.

1. PokPok Agent Fix (August 20, 2025) – Quickly fixed a contract issue during the $CTDA token launch.
2. Ethereum Expansion (July 16, 2025) – Launched AI agents directly on Ethereum with improved security features.
3. Governance Launch (July 7, 2025) – Introduced on-chain voting for decisions about funding and upgrades.

Deep Dive

1. PokPok Agent Fix (August 20, 2025)

Overview: During the launch of the $CTDA token, a technical problem caused a contract mismatch that could have disrupted liquidity pools. The team acted fast, fixing the issue within an hour by deploying a new contract and removing the faulty one.

The new contract (0x6DD4E9E85b96D4cb8a0C16C8a9b097e1c9205617) now manages claims, and users affected by the issue were compensated.

What this means: This is a positive sign for Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) because it shows the team can quickly handle problems, reducing downtime and keeping user trust during important launches. (Source)

2. Ethereum Expansion (July 16, 2025)

Overview: Virtuals Protocol expanded its presence by deploying AI agents directly on the Ethereum blockchain. The first agent is a real-time security tool that uses Nethermind’s AuditAgent to detect threats.

This expansion involved upgrading smart contracts to support coordination across different blockchains and improving security measures. The system for rewarding long-term users, called Genesis Points, was also updated.

What this means: This update is neutral for VIRTUAL. While adding Ethereum support increases the protocol’s usefulness, the complexity of moving to a new blockchain might slow adoption temporarily. However, the enhanced security features could attract more developers. (Source)

3. Governance Launch (July 7, 2025)

Overview: Virtuals Protocol introduced on-chain governance, allowing holders of veVIRTUAL tokens to vote on important proposals like funding and contributor rewards.

To pass, proposals need at least 25% voter participation and a 72-hour voting period. Only wallets holding at least 0.1% of veVIRTUAL tokens can submit proposals.

What this means: This is a positive development for VIRTUAL because decentralized governance is a key part of decentralized finance (DeFi). It encourages more community involvement and can make the protocol stronger and more adaptable. (Source)

Conclusion

Virtuals Protocol is focusing on growing its platform (with Ethereum integration), improving security (through quick fixes), and empowering its community (via on-chain governance). These updates strengthen its position as a platform for AI agent monetization. The speed at which users adopt these changes will be important to watch. How cross-chain AI agents work together could shape VIRTUAL’s future in the AI and crypto space.