APT, the native token of the Layer-1 blockchain Aptos, has surged in value following the launch of Aptos’ decentralised storage network, Shelby, developed in partnership with Jump Crypto.
The price of APT has climbed by more than 12% in the past 24 hours, marking a strong recovery from recent lows and positioning the token as one of the day’s top performers.
Shelby’s launch has sparked investor excitement
On June 24, Aptos Labs officially unveiled Shelby, a decentralised hot storage layer designed to meet the demands of high-throughput Web3 applications such as AI inference, streaming, and real-time data delivery.
According to Aptos, Shelby reimagines digital storage by transforming cold, static data into composable, streamable content that can be monetised instantly, all without compromising speed or ownership.
The project promises chain-agnostic compatibility, meaning it can support multiple blockchain ecosystems, including Ethereum and Solana, although it will initially use the Aptos blockchain as its early settlement layer.
Developers have hailed Shelby as a key infrastructure breakthrough, as it introduces a cost-competitive and censorship-resistant alternative to traditional cloud services, including AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure.
Aptos Labs emphasised that Shelby integrates a dedicated fibre network, encoding mechanisms, and a built-in audit protocol, while also rewarding participating nodes with access to high-value data opportunities.
On-chain metrics show strong growth
The launch of Shelby coincides with a period of growing on-chain activity for Aptos, helping to reinforce investor confidence in the token’s long-term prospects.
Data from DeFiLlama reveals that monthly decentralised exchange (DEX) volumes on the network have surged from $690 million in January to over $3.46 billion in June, with several days still remaining in the month.
In addition, the total stablecoin market cap on the Aptos blockchain has more than doubled since the start of the year, rising from approximately $650 million to more than $1.4 billion.
Its total value locked (TVL) has also increased slightly from May’s high of $1.28 billion to around $1.34 billion, indicating sustained participation from DeFi users.
Weekly active addresses have also rebounded strongly, with June averaging nearly 1 million users, up from April’s low of 644,000, suggesting a renewed wave of developer and user engagement.
Technical breakout signals more gains for APT
From a technical standpoint, APT is attempting to break out from a descending price channel that began earlier this year, having recently bounced off its lower boundary at $3.996.
The token is now testing a key resistance zone marked by the 50-day Exponential Moving Average and the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA), with bullish indicators such as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) turning favourable.
If APT manages to flip the $5.73 resistance level, analysts believe it could climb toward $6.15, driven by rising volume and improving sentiment.
However, a failure to hold support above $4.60 may lead to a retest of $4.50 or even $4.20, especially if broader market momentum weakens.
Caution advised with the upcoming Aptos token unlock
While Shelby’s debut and the broader network’s momentum are giving bulls reason to celebrate, the upcoming token unlock on July 12, 2025, could introduce fresh volatility into the market.
Aptos is set to release 11.31 million APT tokens, worth roughly $45.24 million, representing 1.76% of its circulating supply, with distributions planned for contributors, the community, and early investors.
Historically, such unlocks have triggered varied price reactions, with April seeing a price bump and May experiencing a sell-off, adding uncertainty to market expectations.
However, APT has remained resilient in recent weeks, buoyed by its selection for Wyoming’s WYST stablecoin initiative and positive ecosystem developments.
While short-term volatility is possible, the Shelby launch, combined with rising network usage and strategic partnerships, may help offset negative pressure from the unlock.
Investors and traders will be watching closely, especially as Aptos continues to cement itself as a high-throughput Layer-1 contender in the broader blockchain ecosystem.
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