Momentum in crypto markets is shifting toward projects building core infrastructure for the next cycle rather than purely speculative meme assets.
Restaking and liquid staking protocols, next-generation oracle networks, consumer-focused blockchains and gaming ecosystems are attracting both capital and developer attention. Ether.fi (ETHFI), Pyth Network (PYTH), Flow (FLOW) and Gala (GALA) sit at the center of these narratives, each addressing different pieces of the emerging on-chain economy. Their long-term prospects hinge on whether real usage—staking demand, data consumption, NFT activity and game revenue—can keep pace with current valuations. For now, they remain among the most closely tracked names in discussions about high-potential altcoins.
Ether.fi (ETHFI)
ETHFI is the governance and incentive token for Ether.fi, a liquid staking and restaking platform built around Ethereum. The protocol issues liquid staking tokens that can be deployed across DeFi while underlying ETH is used for validator operations and, increasingly, for restaking on services such as EigenLayer. As the restaking theme matures, Ether.fi aims to capture a share of both staking yields and fees from securing additional middleware, potentially turning ETHFI into a claim on a broader “ETH yield stack.” The token also coordinates governance decisions around risk management, node operators and reward distribution, factors that will be critical if the protocol’s total value locked continues to grow. Regulatory scrutiny of staking services and competition from rival LST/LRT providers remain the main structural risks for the project’s long-term trajectory.
Pyth Network (PYTH)
Pyth Network targets the high-value oracle niche by streaming price data from exchanges and market makers directly on-chain, positioning itself as an alternative and complement to older oracle systems. The protocol has expanded aggressively across multiple ecosystems, including Solana, Ethereum L2s and various application-specific chains, which broadens potential fee revenue for data publishers and the protocol treasury. PYTH underpins governance and is slated to play a larger role in incentivizing accurate, low-latency feeds as the network decentralizes further. If on-chain derivatives, perps DEXs and structured products continue to grow, demand for robust price oracles could translate into sustained utility for the token. However, the competitive landscape—most notably Chainlink and emergent oracle models—means execution quality and ecosystem partnerships will largely determine how much of that market Pyth can realistically capture.
Flow (FLOW)
Flow was designed as a consumer-grade blockchain optimized for high-volume NFT, gaming and digital collectible use cases, with a focus on low fees and developer-friendly tooling. The chain gained early prominence through headline IP such as NBA Top Shot and has since sought to diversify into a broader suite of entertainment and brand-driven experiences. FLOW functions as the network’s gas token, staking asset and governance currency, so any sustained recovery in on-chain activity—transactions, mints, marketplace trades—would have a direct impact on token demand. The project’s long-term potential rests on whether it can translate partnerships with major brands into recurring user engagement, rather than one-off drops. Competition from general-purpose L2s and other app-specific chains, plus the cyclical nature of NFT markets, remain key variables for analysts tracking Flow’s adoption curve.
Gala (GALA)
Gala positions itself as a web3 entertainment ecosystem, with a primary emphasis on blockchain games but growing ambitions in music and film distribution. The GALA token is used for in-game economies, node incentives and ecosystem governance, aiming to align players, creators and infrastructure providers under a single asset. A robust pipeline of titles, progress on scaling solutions and the ability to onboard non-crypto native gamers are central to the project’s value proposition. If even a handful of Gala-backed games achieve meaningful daily active user numbers and sustainable revenue, GALA could evolve into a diversified bet on web3 content rather than a single-product token. At the same time, the broader gaming sector is notoriously hit-driven, and token-linked game economies must balance speculative demand with player retention to avoid the boom-and-bust patterns seen in earlier play-to-earn cycles.
Recently we wrote that a new cohort of infrastructure-focused tokens is drawing attention as investors look past headline majors toward projects with differentiated technology and clear real-world use cases.
