Virtuals Protocol Soars 22% Today as AI Marketplace Ignites Explosive Rally

Virtuals Protocol just ripped through the market with a blistering 22% single-day surge. The catalyst? Its newly launched AI marketplace—a platform that's turning algorithms into assets and sparking a full-blown rally.

The AI Gold Rush Hits Crypto

Forget mining rigs—the new digital pickaxe is artificial intelligence. Virtuals Protocol's marketplace connects developers with buyers for trained AI models, creating a liquid market for intelligence. It's a classic crypto move: identify a walled garden, then blow a hole right through it. The platform bypasses traditional tech gatekeepers, letting value flow directly to creators. No venture capital middlemen, just pure, algorithmic capitalism.

Why Traders Are Piling In

The surge isn't just hype. It's a bet on a fundamental shift. The marketplace creates a new revenue flywheel for the protocol—every model sold or rented means fees flowing back into the ecosystem. That kind of tangible utility gets portfolio managers' attention faster than a free alpha call on Crypto Twitter. Suddenly, a token isn't just a speculative asset; it's a stake in the infrastructure of the AI economy. It's the kind of narrative that makes a 22% pop feel like just the opening act.

The Verdict: Substance or Sizzle?

Let's be real—the crypto sector loves a good buzzword combo, and 'AI' plus 'marketplace' is practically catnip. For every project building real utility, a dozen are just slapping a neural net label on a tired concept. But Virtuals Protocol's price action suggests this might be one of the few actually connecting with real demand. The rally speaks to a market desperate for projects that do more than just promise decentralized magic—they want protocols that cut out real-world inefficiency. Whether this is the start of a sustained ascent or just another pump fueled by the eternal hope that *this* time will be different remains to be seen. After all, on Wall Street, they call it 'momentum.' In crypto, we often just call it Tuesday.

Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) surprised the crypto market today with a sharp 22.3% price jump, lifting its weekly gains close to 60% and placing it among today’s top performers. 

The sudden rally is fueled by upcoming product launches, expanding real-world use cases, and a strong rise in trading activity.

Upcoming AI Agent Marketplace Launch 

The biggest reason behind VIRTUAL’s rally is excitement around its decentralized AI agent marketplace, set to launch on January 15. This platform will allow users to deploy, manage, and earn from autonomous AI agents.

Unlike many AI projects that remain theoretical, Virtuals Protocol is already generating real revenue. 

Meanwhile, the daily protocol earnings have reached around $26,000, while active DEX users have rebounded to nearly 3,700.

Lately, AI-linked crypto projects have helped push VIRTUAL and other tokens, such as RENDER, NEAR, TAO, and FET, posting double-digit gains this week.

OpenMind AGI Partnership Boosts Credibility

Another major factor lifting sentiment is Virtuals Protocol’s partnership with robotics firm OpenMind AGI. Recent demonstrations showed AI agents powered by Virtuals Protocol controlling physical robots to perform DeFi-related tasks, such as cross-chain USDC transfers.

While this partnership may not immediately boost revenue, it adds strong credibility. It shows how Virtual Protocol could connect blockchain, AI, and real-world automation.

Trading Volume Surges as Buyers Step In

VIRTUAL’s price increase is backed by strong market activity. VIRTUAL’s 24-hour trading volume jumped nearly 136% to around $338 million, showing clear buyer interest rather than thin trading.

Over the past week, VIRTUAL has outperformed many larger tokens, gaining more than 60% while the overall market stayed relatively calm.

VIRTUAL Token Price Outlook

After dropping from its October high of $1.89, VIRTUAL was trading inside a descending channel for several weeks. That pattern has now broken, with price moving above the channel’s upper trendline, a classic bullish signal. 

Meanwhile, rising trading volume confirms that the breakout is backed by strong buying interest.

According to Coinpedia analysts, the immediate resistance stands NEAR $1.47. This level marks a previous rejection zone and could slow the price in the short term. However, a clear daily close above $1.47 may trigger a stronger upside move, opening the path toward the $1.80–$1.85 range.