The crypto market witnessed explosive action as two major exchanges spotlighted emerging altcoins, sending their prices into overdrive.
Binance’s Alpha platform—designed to highlight promising early-stage tokens—added the BNB Chain-based meme coin PALU, while South Korea’s largest exchange, Upbit, announced the listing of DOOD the native token of the Doodles NFT ecosystem on its spot market.
These developments triggered rapid buying frenzies, with both tokens posting triple-digit gains in hours, underscoring the enduring “listing pump” phenomenon in meme and NFT-driven assets.
PALU’s Binance Alpha Boost: PALU, a community-driven meme mascot token inspired by playful Palworld-like creatures and tied to Binance’s ecosystem, caught fire after Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) reposted fan art featuring a CZ-themed PALU mascot.
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The repost, captioned “Who dis? “, went viral and set the stage for the Alpha listing. This pre-listing hype amplified when Binance Alpha officially featured PALU, signaling potential for a full spot listing down the line.
DOOD’s Upbit Debut: DOOD, the utility token powering the Doodles universe—a transmedia NFT project blending art, animation, and AI-driven storytelling—hit Upbit’s KRW and USDT pairs starting at 4:30 PM KST (3:30 AM UTC).
Deposits opened earlier, leading to a classic “Boddari” rush: Korean traders depositing tokens en masse for day-one premium arbitrage. Upbit’s notice specified Solana network support contract, and the listing aligned with Doodles’ recent collabs, like Lil Wayne content and the DreamNet platform launch.
For PALU, 12 wallets scooped up ~$3M post-announcement, per analysts. For DOOD, a whale flipped 1.43B tokens for a $1.7M profit after a 180% spike, highlighting the speculative frenzy.
Both tokens hit new all-time highs (ATHs) on launch day, with market caps ballooning amid 24-hour volumes exceeding $90M combined.
PALU skyrocketed from a $3M cap to $80M+ peak, trading above its 20-day EMA $0.0066 for bullish momentum. Resistance at $0.075 could cap upside, but sustained volume might eye a full Binance spot listing.
DOOD pumped 178% to ATH, with mindshare exploding 395% on X fueled by Upbit news and community hype. Overbought RSI (84.9) signals pullback risks, but NFT sentiment and ETH correlation could push toward $0.02 if it holds $0.00725 support.
Traders are eyeing PALU for “Q4 meme szn” on BNB, with calls for related tokens like $PABU. DOOD’s pump drew praise for its NFT revival, with one post noting “Korean listings still print.” CZ’s nod to BNB memes added fuel, as $BNB itself hit $1,300 ATH. That said, meme/NFT volatility is real—whale dumps and post-listing corrections are common.
Historical patterns show 50-70% retraces after such spikes, so DYOR and manage risk. If these hold key supports, they could ride broader altcoin momentum into late 2025, potentially targeting $0.2 for DOOD and spot-listing glory for PALU.
PALU operates as a fair-launch token with a fixed supply, emphasizing community governance over centralized control. On-chain activity shows robust early adoption. However, holder distribution reveals whale concentration top holders control significant portions, with thin liquidity $5–10M pools vulnerable to swings.
No formal roadmap exists yet, but community proposals float staking rewards up to 31% APY models from similar tokens and DeFi integrations. PALU’s long-term upside stems from its narrative as BNB’s “unofficial mascot,” blending meme virality with ecosystem utility.
BNB’s 2025 roadmap—faster speeds, gasless txs, AI tools—could integrate PALU as collateral in lending/DAOs, boosting utility. PALU as a “grassroots cultural movement” from Binance’s Mid-Autumn Festival mascot, evolving into reusable assets like stickers, GIFs, 3D models.
PALU are high-volatility bets—80%+ retrace post-pump is common. 100% sentiment-driven; no inherent utility like no freeze/mint renounced, unverified LP. Without DeFi/NFT pivots, it risks fading like 90% of 2024 memes.
Overbought RSI (~85) signals pullback to $0.06 support; MACD bullish but fragile. PALU shines as a high-risk, high-reward play with 3–5x upside to $300–500M MC by EOY 2025 if it cements BNB mascot status and adds staking/utility—potentially stabilizing as a “niche blue-chip meme” at $200–500M by 2027.
Uniswap and Aave Drive $600M Surge Through Buybacks and Strong Fundamentals
The decentralized finance sector is experiencing a notable recovery in fee generation, with total revenues reaching approximately $600 million in September 2025. This marks a 76% increase from the 12-month low of $340 million in March 2025, signaling renewed trader interest in established protocols amid a shift toward sustainable tokenomics.
Leading the charge are Uniswap (UNI) and Aave (AAVE), which together accounted for a significant portion of the fees—roughly 25% from Uniswap’s trading activity and 18% from Aave’s lending operations—while embracing buyback mechanisms to return value directly to token holders.
This uptick isn’t just volume-driven hype; it’s rooted in strategic shifts away from the meme-fueled narratives of late 2024 toward revenue-sharing models reminiscent of traditional finance.
Protocols are prioritizing “fundamentals-first” approaches, including:Buybacks and Value Accrual: Aave has implemented a formalized framework since April 2025, allocating surplus revenue—up to $1 million weekly—into regular AAVE token buybacks and ecosystem reserves.
This has helped stabilize and boost the token’s price from an average of $223 to over $260, creating a direct link between protocol usage and holder value.
Uniswap, meanwhile, approved $165 million in foundation funding earlier this year and is preparing a “fee switch” for its upcoming v4 launch on Unichain, which would distribute a portion of trading fees to UNI holders.
Proposals like Aave’s integration of its GHO stablecoin with Uniswap pools could enhance liquidity and fee accrual, potentially increasing GHO circulation by 30% and creating a “flywheel” effect for both ecosystems.
Other protocols like Ethena (ENA), Ether.fi, and Maple are piloting similar buyback and revenue-sharing initiatives, indicating a sector-wide trend to attract institutional capital by emphasizing real financial metrics over virality.
These moves are boosting total value locked (TVL) across DeFi, now approaching a record $219 billion, with Aave’s deposits alone at $74 billion. Ethereum, as the primary chain for these activities, stands to benefit from higher gas fees and utility.
While UNI and AAVE tokens haven’t dramatically outperformed the broader market yet, the fee surge provides a valuation framework beyond speculation: UNI: Up 7.5% in early October to around $8.11, with a 70% cumulative gain since Q2 lows.
TVL remains steady at $4.5 billion across layers, supported by liquidity incentives. Analysts eye a push past $9 if Unichain innovations like sub-second finality gain traction.
AAVE: Rebounded 6.2% to $287.39 recently, breaking key resistance with high volume $1.2 billion surge. Technicals show RSI at 68 and a bullish MACD crossover, targeting $336 short-term and potentially $450 if TVL hits $500 billion in 2025.
Despite the momentum, risks persist: macroeconomic volatility, liquidity fragmentation on Uniswap’s multi-chain setup, and potential dilution from treasury spends could test sustainability.
Importantly, while buybacks mimic equity tactics, DeFi tokens aren’t stocks—they offer governance, utility, and access rights, which add layers to their valuation.
This rebound underscores DeFi’s maturation into a “capital flow engine,” with buybacks fostering long-term alignment. Monitor DAO votes, TVL inflows, and integrations for entry points—fundamentals are back in vogue.