- Meme tokens skyrocketed 55% as speculative momentum and short covering drove April’s top-performing crypto sector rebound.
- AI tokens climbed 50% steadily through April, showcasing strong investor confidence in the globally relevant artificial intelligence theme.
- While Meme and AI led gains, L1, DEFI, and GAMING sectors lagged, with cautious capital preferring low-volatility assets and safer returns.
Crypto market performance from April 4 to May 2 showed sector rotation, highlighting renewed investor interest. Meme and AI tokens dominated gains, outpacing L1, DEFI, L2, and GAMING sectors. MEME tokens surged 55% while AI tokens followed closely with a 50% gain. This rally followed a sharp correction in early April. Consequently, it sparked a powerful short squeeze that fueled rapid rebounds in high-volatility sectors.
Early April saw heightened volatility across the board. Most sectors dipped sharply around April 8, with MEME tokens falling 18%. However, by April 10, the recovery had begun. MEME and AI tokens led this bounce, hitting 20% gains just two days later. Besides showing resilience, they also attracted aggressive short covering, further accelerating the rally.
AI and Meme Tokens Lead the Recovery
AI tokens demonstrated stable growth throughout the month. From mid-April onward, they maintained a steady climb, peaking at 50% in late April. Their strength reflected broader optimism around the AI narrative. Moreover, this theme remains globally relevant and continues to attract capital.
Source: Daan Crypto Trades
Meanwhile, MEME tokens surged even more aggressively. They peaked at 70% on April 25, the strongest performance across all tracked sectors. Hence, speculative momentum combined with large short positions fueled this outsized gain. Though the sector saw slight pullbacks by early May, MEME tokens still closed the month up 55%.
L1, DEFI, and GAMING Lag Behind
In contrast, L1 and DEFI tokens showed modest performance. Both sectors tracked closely, ending the period with gains between 15% and 18%. Their lower volatility attracted cautious investors but lacked the explosive upside of trend-driven tokens.
GAMING tokens struggled the most throughout April. They dropped to -15% mid-month and only recovered to +5% by May 2. Additionally, L2 tokens posted a choppy pattern but managed to secure a 15% gain by month’s end.
