Degen Chain, a layer-3 blockchain built on Base, has witnessed a surge in popularity, with nearly $100 million in transactional volumes recorded in the past 24 hours. Despite its nascent existence, the network boasts over 7,500 contracts and 2,300 tokens, though many are suspected scams or rug pulls. Degen Swap (DSWAP) and Degen Pepe (DPEPE) are among the top tokens, but a majority have market capitalizations below $1 million. Layer 3 networks, like Degen Chain, are application-specific blockchains built on top of layer-2 protocols, which in turn operate on top of layer-1 blockchains like Ethereum or Solana.
Amidst a flurry of speculative activity surrounding meme coins traversing various blockchain networks, the latest buzz has converged upon Degen Chain, a recently launched Layer-3 blockchain built upon the Base network. In a matter of mere days since its inception, Degen Chain has witnessed an impressive $100 million in transactional volume within the last 24 hours alone, encompassing over 272,000 unique transactions.
Analysts scrutinizing on-chain data have unveiled the creation of over 7,500 contracts and 2,300 tokens on Degen Chain since its inception on Thursday. However, it is crucial to note that a significant proportion of these tokens have exhibited characteristics of rug pulls or fraudulent schemes.
Among the multitude of tokens circulating on the network, Degen Swap (DSWAP) stands out as the token with the highest market capitalization. This token is associated with Degen Swap, an exchange built upon Degen Chain. As of Monday morning, DSWAP held a value exceeding $14 million.
Despite its hefty valuation, the non-serious token Degen Pepe (DPEPE) surpasses DSWAP's valuation, boasting a market capitalization of $23 million. However, DPEPE is classified as a meme coin, lacking any practical utility beyond speculative endeavors.
A notable observation is that numerous tokens on Degen Chain possess market capitalizations below $1 million, primarily serving as speculative investments. As of Monday, the network lacked support for any stablecoins, restricting users to transacting or trading solely with the native DEGEN tokens. Data indicates that DEGEN tokens were exchanging hands at 6 cents during European morning hours, a remarkable increase of over 500% compared to their 1 cent value on Thursday.
Delving into the concept of Layer-3 networks, it becomes evident that Degen Chain is a specialized Layer-3 blockchain tailored specifically for the DEGEN token. Layer-3 blockchains, a relatively novel development, represent customizable and application-specific blockchains constructed upon Layer-2 protocols. Layer-2 networks, in turn, are built upon Layer-1 blockchains like Ethereum or Solana, enabling faster and more cost-effective transaction settlements compared to the underlying systems.
The fundamental rationale behind Layer-3 networks is to create blockchains capable of swiftly and verifiably executing a narrowly defined range of tasks. These tasks can encompass anything from payments to gaming transactions, and Layer-3 networks are designed to handle only these specific types of transactions.
Within the context of Degen Chain, the DEGEN token serves as the native gas, or fee payment, token of the blockchain. Its developers envision the chain as a platform for novel experimentation in various areas, including tipping, community rewards, payments, gaming, and beyond.
