To celebrate the best of crypto, Messari is launching the first annual Messari Awards, highlighting the best protocols and people in each category based on their contributions to crypto in 2024. All awards are voted on by the Messari team.
01. Rookie of the Year
Winner: Pump.fun
Pump.fun launched in January 2024 and quickly became a hot topic in the crypto community. As the highest-grossing launchpad on Solana, Pump.fun has seen consistent growth in trading volume over the past year. Without it, we wouldn’t have witnessed the success of tokens like GOAT, PNUT, FART, ZEREBRO, and MOODENG. Pump.fun has permanently changed the way tokens are issued, making it the 2024 Rookie of the Year.
02. Annual Layer1 Protocol
Winner: Solana
2024 is known as the year of Solana. Driven by a vibrant ecosystem of users and applications, the Solana network stands out with its lightning-fast performance and low transaction costs. In particular, the rise of memecoin culture has demonstrated Solana's unique advantages. Solana's various indicators have shown exponential growth, defining the standards of modern Layer1 blockchains and winning the Layer1 Award of the Year.
03. DeFi Protocol of the Year
Winner: Hyperliquid
Hyperliquid’s on-chain order book redefines what’s possible in DeFi. As volume, open interest, and user adoption continue to rise, Hyperliquid is one of the key leaders in the DeFi space. Looking ahead, we look forward to seeing it continue to drive the growth of the Layer1 ecosystem in 2025.
04. Annual DePIN Agreement
Winner: Helium
Helium is redefining the DePIN (decentralized physical infrastructure network) landscape in 2024. Since its launch in December 2023, Helium Mobile has surpassed 120,000 users, with an attractive unlimited data plan for only $20 per month. In addition, its innovative operator plan supports 250,000 to 300,000 users per day, demonstrating its potential to transform connected infrastructure. Helium is the winner of the DePIN Protocol of the Year for its innovation and real-world application capabilities.
05. Best Consumer App of the Year
Winner: Polymarket
Polymarket performed exceptionally well in the 2024 election year, registering nearly 1 million new accounts. Users invested billions of dollars in the election market, and its real-time predictions were widely cited by mainstream media, becoming an important source of objective news. Polymarket has become the preferred platform for users to bet on elections or obtain information.
06. Memecoin of the Year
Winner: GOAT
GOAT isn’t the biggest memecoin of 2024, but it is the most influential. Its innovative combination of artificial intelligence and its profound impact on the new meta make it a notable asset. If the rise of AI agents and memecoins continues in 2025, GOAT will be remembered as the one that started this trend.
07. Best Account of the Year
Winner: @aixbt_agent
In the fiercely competitive crypto Twitter (CT), @aixbt_agent stands out. Its number of followers exceeded 100,000 in less than a month and ranked first in Kaito's influence ranking. @aixbt_agent's high-quality analysis and rich alpha information have made it a must-see account on CT.
08. Most Active Fund of the Year
Winner: Animoca Brands
Animoca Brands completed 107 deals in 2024, making it the most active fund of the year. Although its core sectors are consumer and gaming, its portfolio has expanded to diverse areas such as DePIN and AI.
09. Annual rebound token
Winner: SOL
After years of negative sentiment, SOL has staged a stunning turnaround in 2024, with its token price hitting an all-time high and entering the top five by market cap. SOL’s performance is a poster child for market recovery.
10. Investment Fund Blog of the Year
Winner: Syncracy Capital
Syncracy Capital has published a large amount of high-quality content in 2024, with its contrarian and forward-looking views challenging traditional thinking and driving key industry conversations. In particular, Syncracy Capital has demonstrated excellent insight into the Solana narrative and market trends.
11. Independent Analyst of the Year
Winner: Kel
Kel stands out for his insightful and high-quality substack writing on the memecoin supercycle in 2024. His content is considered one of the best free resources in the space.
12. Person of the Year
Winner: Michael Saylor
Michael Saylor is an iconic figure in the Bitcoin space. He continues to invest in Bitcoin through MicroStrategy and has influenced the entire industry with his unique perspectives and firm beliefs. In 2024, he reached the pinnacle of his career and became the undisputed winner of the Person of the Year.
Through these awards, Messari recognizes the most innovative, influential, and forward-thinking forces in the crypto industry. Let us look forward to more excitement in 2025!
