- BNB surged past $1,300 with a market cap of $179B, overtaking XRP to become the third-largest crypto.
- Network growth hit 58M monthly users, boosted by meme coin launches and Aster’s $2.4B TVL.
- Reduced fees, strong sentiment, and CZ’s rising wealth highlight BNB’s momentum, with traders eyeing $2,000 next.
BNB surged past $1,300 for the first time on October 7, reaching $1,314 and lifting its market capitalization to $179.2 billion, according to CoinGecko. This milestone pushed BNB ahead of XRP to become the third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. The token’s 6% daily gain highlights strong momentum as traders eye even higher targets. Some analysts, including Crypto King and BitBull, are forecasting BNB could climb toward $2,000 in this cycle.
Network Growth and User Activity
The BNB Chain ecosystem is showing record strength, with 58 million monthly active users — more than Solana and NEAR. A surge in meme coin activity has also fueled network traffic, particularly through the Four.Meme platform, where BNB-based tokens now dominate DEX Screener trends. This explosive growth has reinforced BNB’s position as a hub for retail activity and speculative trading.
Aster DEX and Lower Fees Drive Adoption
One of the biggest catalysts behind BNB’s rally is the decentralized exchange Aster, which has seen its total value locked soar from $378 million to $2.4 billion since launching its token. At the same time, developers slashed network fees, cutting the minimum gas price to 0.05 Gwei. With transactions now costing as little as $0.01–$0.02, lower costs are attracting even more activity and liquidity to the chain.
Market Sentiment and CZ’s Rising Fortune
The rally comes amid broader crypto strength, with Bitcoin reaching new highs above $126,000 and Ethereum testing $4,700. Positive sentiment across markets is magnifying BNB’s rise. Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), who owns 64% of the BNB supply (89.1 million tokens), saw his wealth climb to $89 billion, pushing him up 21 spots in Forbes’ billionaire rankings. His influence, combined with BNB Chain’s rapid growth, is helping cement BNB as a dominant force in the current market cycle.
