What is a Market Cap in crypto?

Market capitalization is a measure that establishes the size of any cryptocurrency; it simply goes by the shortened form of 'market cap'. The Market Cap represents the total value of all coins in circulation for a certain cryptocurrency.

How is Market Cap Calculated?

The formula for calculating Market Cap is:

Market Cap = Price per Coin * Circulating Supply

For example, if a project has 10 million coins valued at the price of $50 per coin, then its market capitalization is worth $500 million.

Why Is Market Cap Important In Evaluating Cryptocurrencies?

Here's how crypto market capitalization can benefit you:

Risk Assessment: High market capitalization typically signals lower risks; low market capitalization may imply higher risk but potentially larger returns also.
Making Informed Decisions: You will be able to compare the market capitalization of several digital currencies and hence make a conscious decision as to which assets might potentially help in meeting your investment goals.
Industry Insights: This is where the total crypto market cap reflects the general condition and growth of the crypto industry.

What Are The Differences Between Market Cap And Fully Diluted Market Cap?

Understanding the difference between market cap and fully diluted market cap is crucial in the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies. Market cap reflects a crypto's current market value based solely on circulating coins. In contrast, fully diluted market cap estimates its future potential by factoring in all coins ever created, including those locked or yet to be minted.

This distinction empowers investors. Analyzing the difference helps assess risk (a high gap suggests potential price dilution from future coin releases) and growth potential (a high fully diluted cap indicates room for value increase). When researching crypto data, ensure the source provides clear definitions and offers updated information on both metrics.

How Does Market Cap Impact The Ranking Of Cryptocurrencies?

Market cap has a frontline role in the ranking of cryptocurrency. Thus, it is used as an indicator of size, dominance, and potential of a crypto in the market. Here is how the market cap affects cryptocurrency ranking:

Market Share Indicator: The market capitalization really comes down to being the total market value for all coins in circulation for a specific cryptocurrency. It is calculated by the product of the current price per coin and the sum of all coins already released. Comparing these market caps can let us realize the relative value of a given cryptocurrency against others. In general, the larger the market cap, the higher the cryptocurrency will stand, probably in most of the lists of cryptocurrency rankings, especially on credible crypto exchanges and websites like CoinMarketCap.
Trust and Recognition: A high market cap is merely considered only a pointer towards a more established, and thus more trusted, cryptocurrency. This could be because high value in the market suggests a wider investment base with a higher probability of increased stability. Cryptocurrencies at a higher market cap tend to earn higher ranks, which translate into more attention and probably more investment.
Market Dominance: Knowing the total crypto market cap, which is the total value of all circulating cryptocurrencies, will help in understanding the absolute health and dominance of the crypto market. Cryptocurrencies that are high in contribution to the total crypto market capitalization mostly rank at higher positions, as they contribute to major positioning within the market.

It should also be noted that market capitalization is just one factor by which cryptocurrencies may be ranked or judged. Other major factors are progress in the development achieved, teams' expertise, and community engagement.

How Does Market Cap Differ Between Coins And Tokens?

Both coins and tokens rely on market cap for valuation, but with a twist. Coins, like Bitcoin, are the native residents of their own blockchains, acting as the lifeblood of the network. Their market cap is calculated by multiplying the current price per coin by the total circulating supply. This value essentially reflects the total worth of the entire blockchain ecosystem, encompassing its functionalities and potential.

On the other hand, tokens reside on existing blockchains, functioning as utility tools or even securities. They don't have their own blockchain and can represent diverse purposes, from granting access to features within a decentralized application to signifying ownership of real-world assets. Their market cap is calculated similarly (price per token x circulating supply) but represents the perceived value of the specific utility or function the token offers within its associated blockchain.

What Is The Relationship Between Market Cap And Trading Volume?

Trading volume shows the amount of buying and selling in a cryptocurrency. In case the interest in the market shoots, the trading volume would be high, and this would correspond to high price volatility. Low trading volumes, on the other hand, may indicate a lack of interest or stable prices.

What is interesting is the interplay between these two metrics. For instance, even though the price per coin remains flat, a crypto with a surge in trading volume can inflate its market capitalization because the sheer volume of coins being traded represents a larger total value being exchanged. On the other hand, the market capitalization also affects trading volume. The largest group of cryptocurrencies in terms of market value, generally the large-cap ones, appeals more to traders due to their established presence and, therefore, greater liquidity, which means a better and more active market with greater trading volume.

How Can Market Cap Affect The Volatility Of A Cryptocurrency?

Here are some factors that impact the greater or lesser volatility of a token:

Investor confidence: Greater market capitalization usually increases investor confidence. This is partly because larger coins have existed longer, their communities are also larger and more established, and they have gone through various trials in the market.

Liquidity: Larger market caps signal greater liquidity, which means there are buyers and sellers actively trading the token. It helps to prevent wild swings in the price of an asset because there is always someone on either end of a trade who would like to take the other side.

Market Manipulation: While smaller coins might require less capital for volatile price action, more established coins are usually harder to move as they require much larger trading volumes to make price action move.

That said, while market capitalization may be a strong determinant of volatility, it is not without its exceptions. For instance, a coin with a relatively small market capitalization could have less volatile price action if it has impressive technology underlying it or an extremely active community that's more resistant to market sentiment.

Why Do Some Cryptocurrencies Have A High Market Cap Despite Low Usage?

The following could be the possible reasons for this phenomenon:

Speculation and Hype: The market capitalization is the current price per coin multiplied by the total circulating supply. In this case, even low usage, with a high price as a result of speculation and hype, will bloat any crypto's market capitalization. Thus, investors are basically betting on the future potential of the crypto or even simply being caught in the hype.
Store of Value: A few cryptocurrencies are viewed by some investors as a long-term store of value, similar in theory to gold. While they may not actually be used for daily transactions, they can be considered a form of insurance against inflation or a way to further diversify investment portfolios. This could contribute to a higher market capitalization relative to low, current use.
Locked or Staked Coins: A portion of the total supply may be locked away or staked, particularly in some cryptocurrencies, for certain purposes such as network security or governance. These are factored into the total circulating supply but not readily available for everyday transactions. This can create a situation where the market cap appears high relative to the actively used coins.

Low current usage but clear future roadmap of utility in some industry or application: A cryptocurrency has low usage at the moment but a clear future roadmap for utility in some industry or application. Hence, investors who would want to escalate and hold the crypto in such anticipated future adoption could be doing so now, hence the high market cap despite its current limited use.

How Does Coin Minting or Burning Affect A Cryptocurrency's Market Cap?

Supply in a New Coin Issue: When new minting or issuance occurs in a cryptocurrency, this increases the total supplier of the coins. Because the market cap is the current price per coin times total circulating supply, this can result in two scenarios:

Stable Price: If the price stays per coin, then upon the issuance of new coins, the market cap will rise proportionately to the new coins issued.

Upon the new minting of coins, if matching demand is not provided, then the price per coin could be reduced to ensure that market capitalization stays the same. This would happen when new issuance is viewed by the market as a dilution to the value of existing coins.

Coin Burns: The opposite would be coin burns, which remove part of the circulating supply permanently. This has an effect on reducing the total circulating supply actually. Keeping the price per coin constant, a reduced supply results in a reduced market capitalization. But the intrinsic idea behind a coin burn generally will be to increase the value of the rest through artificial scarcity. If the price per coin increased proportionally or even more than proportionally to the circulating supply decrease, this could offset it and leave the market capitalization either flat or higher.

Knowing the Impact: One has to keep in mind that the difference in market capitalization due to new issuance of coins or burns does not always exert a direct influence on the market. Factors like shifts in investor sentiment, project advancement, and overall market trends may play a role in the price per coin.

How Do Youu Find Accurate Market Cap Data?

Numerous resources provide crypto market cap information. Reputable cryptocurrency exchanges and industry websites offer live market data, including total crypto market cap, individual crypto market caps, and historical price charts.

Staria Launchpad - Your Gateway into Promising Crypto Projects:

We meticulously select promising new crypto projects with strong potential. On our platform, you can find valuable information about these projects launching on Staria Launchpad, including:

Initial Market Cap: Gain insights into the project's starting market capitalization, providing a snapshot of its initial value proposition.
Total Supply: Understand the total number of coins that will ever be created for the project, giving context to potential future dilution or scarcity.
Token Unlocks: Stay informed about any planned releases of locked tokens, which can impact circulating supply and potentially influence the price.
Value Proposition: Explore the project's core functionalities and the problem it aims to solve within the crypto industry, helping you assess its potential impact and long-term viability.

By leveraging the information available on Staria Launchpad, you can make informed decisions about your crypto investments

Market Capitalization (Market Cap)