The price of Virtuals Protocol's native token, VIRTUAL, has surged more than 18% in the past 24 hours, trading around $1.03 at the time of writing. This significant move is accompanied by a 31% jump in trading volume, placing VIRTUAL at the top of the daily gainers list.
The primary catalyst for the rally is anticipation surrounding the upcoming launch of Virtuals Protocol's first decentralized AI agent marketplace on January 15, 2026. The project is positioning this as a milestone, moving from trading tokens to trading "autonomous revenue-generating assets," a concept that has resonated with traders seeking utility beyond pure speculation.
On-chain data supports the bullish sentiment. Active users on decentralized exchanges for VIRTUAL have rebounded to approximately 3,700, matching levels seen during a mid-December rally. Daily protocol revenue has also climbed to around $26,000, indicating growing usage. Derivatives data reveals a strong bias toward long positions, with new buy-side liquidity significantly outweighing shorts, creating upward price pressure in a market with thin sell orders.
Analyst Chyan's 24-hour flow analysis highlights a separate bullish narrative. The token saw fresh capital inflows averaging a staggering $135.5 million, with individual wallets averaging $66.8K, suggesting genuine demand rather than wash trading. Concurrently, exchange outflows of $731.5K (average transaction $17.4K) indicate tokens are moving off exchanges into long-term storage, reducing immediate sell pressure.
Despite VIRTUAL correcting from its all-time high of $5.07 on January 2, 2026, whale distribution has been minimal. Top traders show a relatively flat position change of -$61K, suggesting smart money is holding rather than taking profits aggressively. This combination of fresh capital, reduced exchange supply, and limited whale selling creates a potential spring-loaded market setup.
The broader context includes Virtuals Protocol's earlier partnership with OpenMind AGI, announced in December, which connects AI agents with physical robotics ("embodied AI"). The project is also capitalizing on renewed sector-wide interest in AI, partly reignited by Nvidia's recent AI inference deal. Virtuals has launched successful AI agents within its ecosystem, such as Aixbt, which has a market capitalization exceeding $730 million. The protocol has further committed to a $40 million repurchase and burn program for its Ecosystem Agents to build long-term value for token holders.
Technically, the 4-hour chart shows VIRTUAL rebounding from a December downtrend, maintaining control above the key $1.00 support level. The On-Balance Volume (OBV) indicator is turning upward, suggesting sustained buying pressure.
