Cardano Will Fall Out of the Top 15 Cryptos by Market Cap This Year: Critic

Cardano criticisms have resurfaced, as claims that the token will drop further in the cryptocurrency ranking by market cap emerge.

Cardano (ADA) currently ranks 13th in the crypto market with a market cap of $9.45 billion. This marks a step forward for ADA, which fell to 14th place at some time this year. The latest positive push comes amid recent bullish price action, which saw it rise by over 6% in two days, briefly reclaiming $0.27. 

However, Cardano is still outside the top 10 by market cap, a position it had maintained for a long time, with Hyperliquid (HYPE), Zcash (ZEC), and UNUS SED LEO (LEO) displacing it. A recent outlook sees newer assets and narratives further pushing ADA lower in the ranking before the end of the year.

Key Points

• Analyst Shah believes ADA could slip out of the top 15 digital assets before the end of the year.
• The analyst argues that on-chain activity around Cardano remains relatively quiet compared to rival networks.
• Cardano’s price underperformance has added to concerns that investor enthusiasm around the ecosystem has weakened.
• Projects such as Zcash (ZEC), Toncoin (TON), Monero (XMR), and Avalanche (AVAX) could eventually overtake Cardano.

Cardano to Drop Out of Top 15

Widely followed market enthusiast “Shah” has predicted that Cardano would fall lower in the market cap ranking as the broader market shifts focus toward ecosystems showing stronger user activity and faster momentum.

The market commentator believes ADA could slip out of the top 15 before the end of the year if current conditions continue. Notably, the coin’s valuation would have to drop by $2.12 billion for this to happen, taking its price to $0.202.

This bearish outlook centers on concerns surrounding network usage, ecosystem visibility, and price performance. According to the critic, Cardano has struggled to generate the same level of engagement as competing blockchains, despite remaining one of the largest crypto assets by market capitalization.

Cardano Faces Pressure from Newer Narrative

First, the analyst argues that on-chain activity around Cardano remains relatively quiet compared to rival networks. This continues to push the “dead chain” narrative, which recent data prove wrong. 

For context, the leading global staking platform Everstake described Cardano as a healthy network, citing growing DeFi usage. The blockchain’s TVL recently surged to an over-one-year high, suggesting increased user participation.

Shah also points to declining social discussion and weaker speculative momentum as signs that market attention has shifted elsewhere.

At the same time, ADA continues to trade far below its 2021 peak. While several major cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin and XRP, revisited or exceeded their previous highs during the last cycle, Cardano didn’t even come close to those levels. That underperformance has added to concerns that investor enthusiasm around the ecosystem has weakened.

Cardano’s Potential Replacements

The analyst didn’t stop at predicting Cardano’s downfall; he also mentioned cryptocurrencies that could replace it in the top 15. According to him, projects such as Zcash (ZEC), Toncoin (TON), Monero (XMR), and Avalanche (AVAX) could eventually overtake Cardano if momentum continues shifting in their favor.

Notably, ZEC has already climbed above ADA at 11th, although the lead is still dicey. However, XMR ranks 15th, TON 17th, and AVAX 24th. It could be a long shot for Monero, Toncoin, and particularly Avalanche to flip Cardano, as their valuation sits at least $2 billion below ADA’s.

Cardano Supporters Remain Optimistic

Despite the criticism, Cardano still maintains one of the largest crypto communities in the market, and developers continue building across the ecosystem. Supporters argue that network developments such as Ouroborus Leios and Midnight continue to put Cardano in the limelight. 

While things look slow, Cardano’s research-driven approach and emphasis on long-term infrastructure and security give it an edge.

They also note that ADA historically experiences delayed reactions during broader market recoveries. Previous cycles showed Cardano remaining quiet for extended periods before eventually recording sharp upward moves once market sentiment improved. Some even claim it will enter the top 5 in the crypto rankings by market cap.