Raydium (RAY) is up 50% this week following the activation of Launchlab, a meme coin launchpad similar to Pump.fun. Will this reactivate meme coin activity on Solana? Best Wallet presale raises over $11 million. Some analysts think BEST is one of the best cryptos to buy in April 2025, citing the project’s ambitions to become a crypto and DeFi hub.
RAY, the governance token of Raydium, the top decentralized exchange (DEX) on Solana, is surging. The token is up 50% in one week, building on gains from last week. After an 82% dip in Q1 2025 that saw the token slide from a high of $7 to a low of $1.50, this rebound is a major confidence boost for holders.
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RAY Spikes 50% in One Week
The question now is: Could this mark the start of a rally that will solidify Raydium’s role in Solana and drive meme coin trading?
According to DeFiLlama, Raydium manages over $1.1 billion in total value locked (TVL). Despite stiff competition from PumpSwap, Raydium remains the preferred DEX for Solana traders, thanks to its first-mover advantage and integral role in the broader DeFi ecosystem.
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With RAY surging, there’s hope that the meme coin season, which previously elevated Solana to the third-largest ecosystem behind Bitcoin and Ethereum, could return. RAY may lead this charge, but will it succeed?
From the RAYUSDT price action, the token is technically bearish. Gains from early November 2024 have been reversed, and the meme coin hype that boosted SOL has faded. According to Coingecko, the total meme coin market cap is below $50 billion, down from over $120 billion in January.
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The good news for RAY holders is that the token broke out from its sideways consolidation in early March 2025.
If the momentum spills to next week and RAYUSDT breaks $3, bulls from Q4 2025 could drive demand, pushing prices above $7.5.
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Raydium Launches Launchlab, a Meme Coin Generator
The pace of this growth will depend on the adoption of Launchlab, the new meme coin generator aimed at capturing market share from Pump.fun.
Raydium described Launchlab as community-driven, featuring creator-focused tools, flexibility, and deeper liquidity.
This launch follows the activation of a competing DEX, PumpSwap, by Pump.fun in March 2025. Before PumpSwap, the popular meme coin launchpad depended on Raydium. All graduating meme coins with over 69 SOL in market cap were listed on the DEX, driving revenue and RAY prices.
The PumpSwap launch was a blow to RAY and the Raydium ecosystem.
Introducing LaunchLab, Raydium's all-in-one token launchpad.
Built for Creators, Developers, and the Community ?https://t.co/yZVzShVZSJ
More info ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/r6s1DAegWf
— Raydium (@RaydiumProtocol) April 16, 2025
However, the LaunchLab swap will alleviate some of that pressure on RAY prices.
Meme coins launched on Launchlab will graduate and benefit from the deep liquidity in Raydium once their market cap exceeds 85 SOL.
For traders and investors, liquidity provider lockers help prevent rug pulls by securing initial liquidity.
However, it remains to be seen whether Launchlab can attract users, given Pump.fun’s loyal user base and impact of PumpSwap.
Interesting to watch Pumpfun and Raydium battle over who controls the flow of tokens/memes on Solana
As much as I hate to say this, Pumpfun is still ahead especially with the introduction of PumpSwap
? Raydium’s LaunchLab is a solid counter: better infra, fairer fees,… https://t.co/ZlI7FgRmFz
— Defi Priest (@0xBispo) April 17, 2025
Best Wallet Presale Raises Over $11 Million
With this strategic launch, attention is also turning to the Best Wallet presale.
Considered one of the hottest presales in 2025, Best Wallet has attracted global investors drawn to its potential as an all-in-one crypto solution.
Best Wallet aims to be a crypto and DeFi hub where token holders can swap for free, trade conveniently via an integrated DEX, and access gaming perks through loot boxes and more.
The “Upcoming Tokens” section also allows smart investors to gain early exposure to some of the best cryptos to buy in 2025.
Some of them are PEPU and Catslap, which soared at least 30X after listing on top exchanges.
Over 250,000 global users actively use the platform. As of mid-April 2025, the presale has raised over $11 million.
BEST will serve as the utility and governance token of the wallet. Presale participants can also stake their tokens, earning over 100% APY, one of the highest yields in the industry.
