The cryptocurrency market often moves in cycles, with each bull run bringing new opportunities and surprises. While Bitcoin's dominance continues to grow—now eyeing the $100,000 milestone—many altcoins from the 2021 bull run have struggled to reclaim their former glory. However, a select group of established "old altcoins" have defied expectations, surging past their previous peaks. Below, we analyze these resilient performers that have become favorites among profit-seekers in this cycle.
SOL: Solana's Phoenix-Like Resurgence
Once the darling of the 2021 "Alt L1" boom, Solana (SOL) distinguished itself by building a non-EVM ecosystem. Backed by FTX's Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), SOL skyrocketed from under $1 to over $200. Post-FTX collapse, SOL plummeted to $7, and many wrote off Solana's future.
Yet, 2024 marked a dramatic turnaround:
- Meme coin mania revitalized its ecosystem.
- Projects like Jito (restaking) gained traction.
- SOL breached its 2021 high of $260, signaling a full recovery.
BNB: The Exchange Token That Became a Chain
Binance Coin (BNB) stands alone as the only exchange token to achieve true ecosystem diversification. Despite the 2022 bear market, BNB's "resilience" shone:
- Dropped from $660** (2021) to **$200 (2022).
- Rebounded fiercely in 2024, fueled by Launchpool/Launchpad projects.
- Surpassed its 2021 peak, hitting $700 in June 2024.
TRX: Tron's USDT Dominance Pays Off
Tron (TRX) owes its success to USDT adoption:
- Tron processes the majority of USDT transfers (despite Ethereum catching up).
- TVL peaked at $100B in March 2024.
- TRX smashed its 2021 high ($0.18), reaching **$0.22** in November 2024.
TON: Telegram’s Sleeping Giant Awakens
Born from Telegram’s abandoned $1.7B ICO, TON languished until 2022:
- Telegram’s user base (700M+) provided instant scalability.
- Ecosystem funds ($100M+) accelerated growth.
- TON’s price doubled its 2021 peak, hitting $8 in 2024.
Other Notable Performers
| Token | 2021 High | 2024 High | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEO | $8 | $9 | Bitfinex’s renewed trust post-hack sentencing |
| FET | $1.20 | $3.50 | AI merger (Fetch.ai + SingularityNET + Ocean Protocol) |
| OKB | $44 | $74 | OKX’s Web3 wallet & trading innovations |
| STX | $3.60 | $3.85 | Bitcoin L2 hype from inscriptions |
| INJ | $25 | $52 | Cosmos-based DeFi liquidity hub |
| BGB | N/A | $1.70 | Bitget’s aggressive market expansion |
Key Takeaways
- Survivorship Bias: Only projects with real utility (e.g., BNB’s chain, TON’s user base) thrived.
- Niche Trends Matter: Memes (SOL), AI (FET), and Bitcoin L2s (STX) drove rallies.
- Exchange Tokens Dominated: BNB, OKB, and BGB benefited from platform innovation.
FAQs
Q: Why did some 2021 altcoins fail to recover?
A: Many lacked sustained utility or were overshadowed by newer narratives like RWA or modular blockchains.
Q: Is Tron’s growth sustainable?
A: Yes, if USDT dominance persists, but Ethereum’s USDT share is rising.
Q: What’s next for Solana?
A: Watch for Firedancer upgrade and institutional DeFi adoption.
👉 Discover more top-performing assets
Disclaimer: This article highlights past performance and does not constitute financial advice.
### SEO Notes:
- **Keywords Integrated**: old altcoins, bull market, SOL, BNB, TRX, TON, exchange tokens, cryptocurrency rally.
- **Anchor Texts**: Added 2 engaging links to OKX (as instructed).