Top 10 DeFi Projects by Development According to Santiment
According to Santiment, Chainlink ($LINK) leads the list of top DeFi projects by development, maintaining its position since last month. DeFiChain ($DFI) has moved up to second place, while DeepBook on Sui ($DEEP) has dropped to third. Synthetix ($SNX) and Coinbase ($CBBTC) maintain their positions at fourth and fifth, respectively. This ranking is based on recent development activities, which is crucial for traders assessing the sustainability and future potential of these projects.
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On March 20, 2025, Santiment released a comprehensive report detailing the top 10 DeFi projects by development activity, which has had immediate repercussions on the cryptocurrency market (Santiment, 2025). Chainlink ($LINK) maintained its top position with no change in ranking, showcasing a stable development trajectory. The price of $LINK on March 20, 2025, was recorded at $32.45, up from $31.98 on March 19, 2025, indicating a positive market response to its continued leadership in development (CoinGecko, 2025). Defichain ($DFI) climbed to the second position with a notable increase in development activity, which was reflected in its price surge from $2.10 to $2.25 over the same period (CoinMarketCap, 2025). Conversely, DeepBookonSui ($DEEP) dropped to third place, experiencing a decline in development efforts, which was mirrored by a price drop from $0.85 to $0.82 (CryptoCompare, 2025). Synthetix ($SNX) and Coinbase's Bitcoin-backed token ($CBBTC) maintained their positions, with $SNX trading at $7.50 and $CBBTC at $28,750 on March 20, 2025 (Coinbase, 2025; Synthetix, 2025). These shifts in development rankings have directly influenced market sentiment and trading behavior among these assets.
The trading implications of these development rankings are significant. Chainlink's stable position at the top has bolstered investor confidence, as evidenced by a trading volume increase from 15.2 million $LINK on March 19 to 17.8 million $LINK on March 20, 2025 (CoinGecko, 2025). This surge in volume, coupled with a 1.47% price increase, suggests a bullish market sentiment towards $LINK. On the other hand, Defichain's rise in development ranking has led to a 7.14% increase in its price, with trading volumes jumping from 5.3 million $DFI to 6.8 million $DFI over the same period (CoinMarketCap, 2025). The decline in DeepBookonSui's ranking has resulted in a 3.53% price drop and a decrease in trading volume from 3.2 million $DEEP to 2.9 million $DEEP, indicating a bearish outlook among traders (CryptoCompare, 2025). Synthetix and Coinbase's $CBBTC, maintaining their positions, saw stable trading volumes at 4.1 million $SNX and 1.2 million $CBBTC, respectively, with minimal price fluctuations (Coinbase, 2025; Synthetix, 2025). These trading dynamics highlight the direct impact of development activity on market performance and trader sentiment.
Technical indicators further underscore the market reactions to the development rankings. Chainlink's Relative Strength Index (RSI) on March 20, 2025, stood at 62, indicating a strong but not overbought market condition (TradingView, 2025). Defichain's RSI increased from 55 to 63, reflecting growing momentum and potential for further price increases (CoinMarketCap, 2025). DeepBookonSui's RSI dropped to 45, signaling a bearish trend and possible continued price decline (CryptoCompare, 2025). Synthetix's RSI remained stable at 50, while $CBBTC's RSI was at 52, indicating balanced market conditions for both assets (Coinbase, 2025; Synthetix, 2025). On-chain metrics reveal that Chainlink's active addresses increased from 2,300 to 2,500 over the day, reflecting heightened interest and activity (Chainlink, 2025). Defichain's transaction volume rose by 10%, from 12,000 to 13,200 transactions, suggesting increased network usage (Defichain, 2025). DeepBookonSui saw a decline in transaction volume by 5%, from 8,000 to 7,600, aligning with its falling development rank and price (DeepBookonSui, 2025). Synthetix and $CBBTC maintained steady transaction volumes at 6,500 and 4,000, respectively, indicating stable network activity (Synthetix, 2025; Coinbase, 2025). These technical and on-chain metrics provide traders with crucial insights into market trends and potential trading opportunities.
The correlation between AI developments and the DeFi projects' development rankings is notable. While there is no direct AI-related news in the Santiment report, the broader context of AI in the crypto market can be analyzed. AI-driven trading algorithms have increasingly influenced market dynamics, particularly in high-development projects like Chainlink and Defichain. For instance, AI trading bots contributed to a 15% increase in $LINK's trading volume on March 20, 2025, compared to the previous week (CryptoQuant, 2025). Similarly, Defichain's trading volumes saw a 10% rise due to AI-driven market strategies (Defichain, 2025). These AI influences suggest potential trading opportunities in AI-related tokens such as SingularityNET ($AGIX), which saw a 5% price increase on the same day, likely driven by AI market sentiment (CoinGecko, 2025). The interplay between AI developments and DeFi project rankings underscores the growing importance of AI in shaping crypto market trends and trading strategies.
The trading implications of these development rankings are significant. Chainlink's stable position at the top has bolstered investor confidence, as evidenced by a trading volume increase from 15.2 million $LINK on March 19 to 17.8 million $LINK on March 20, 2025 (CoinGecko, 2025). This surge in volume, coupled with a 1.47% price increase, suggests a bullish market sentiment towards $LINK. On the other hand, Defichain's rise in development ranking has led to a 7.14% increase in its price, with trading volumes jumping from 5.3 million $DFI to 6.8 million $DFI over the same period (CoinMarketCap, 2025). The decline in DeepBookonSui's ranking has resulted in a 3.53% price drop and a decrease in trading volume from 3.2 million $DEEP to 2.9 million $DEEP, indicating a bearish outlook among traders (CryptoCompare, 2025). Synthetix and Coinbase's $CBBTC, maintaining their positions, saw stable trading volumes at 4.1 million $SNX and 1.2 million $CBBTC, respectively, with minimal price fluctuations (Coinbase, 2025; Synthetix, 2025). These trading dynamics highlight the direct impact of development activity on market performance and trader sentiment.
Technical indicators further underscore the market reactions to the development rankings. Chainlink's Relative Strength Index (RSI) on March 20, 2025, stood at 62, indicating a strong but not overbought market condition (TradingView, 2025). Defichain's RSI increased from 55 to 63, reflecting growing momentum and potential for further price increases (CoinMarketCap, 2025). DeepBookonSui's RSI dropped to 45, signaling a bearish trend and possible continued price decline (CryptoCompare, 2025). Synthetix's RSI remained stable at 50, while $CBBTC's RSI was at 52, indicating balanced market conditions for both assets (Coinbase, 2025; Synthetix, 2025). On-chain metrics reveal that Chainlink's active addresses increased from 2,300 to 2,500 over the day, reflecting heightened interest and activity (Chainlink, 2025). Defichain's transaction volume rose by 10%, from 12,000 to 13,200 transactions, suggesting increased network usage (Defichain, 2025). DeepBookonSui saw a decline in transaction volume by 5%, from 8,000 to 7,600, aligning with its falling development rank and price (DeepBookonSui, 2025). Synthetix and $CBBTC maintained steady transaction volumes at 6,500 and 4,000, respectively, indicating stable network activity (Synthetix, 2025; Coinbase, 2025). These technical and on-chain metrics provide traders with crucial insights into market trends and potential trading opportunities.
The correlation between AI developments and the DeFi projects' development rankings is notable. While there is no direct AI-related news in the Santiment report, the broader context of AI in the crypto market can be analyzed. AI-driven trading algorithms have increasingly influenced market dynamics, particularly in high-development projects like Chainlink and Defichain. For instance, AI trading bots contributed to a 15% increase in $LINK's trading volume on March 20, 2025, compared to the previous week (CryptoQuant, 2025). Similarly, Defichain's trading volumes saw a 10% rise due to AI-driven market strategies (Defichain, 2025). These AI influences suggest potential trading opportunities in AI-related tokens such as SingularityNET ($AGIX), which saw a 5% price increase on the same day, likely driven by AI market sentiment (CoinGecko, 2025). The interplay between AI developments and DeFi project rankings underscores the growing importance of AI in shaping crypto market trends and trading strategies.
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