Messari: A look at the crypto industry’s annual protocols and figures in 2024

Author: Messari, Source: Messari crypto thesis 2025; Compiler: 0xjs@金财经

To celebrate a stellar year in cryptocurrency, we launch the first annual Messari Awards. In this section, we highlight some of the best protocols and personalities in their respective categories, based on their contributions to cryptocurrencies in 2024. All results are voted on by the Messari team.

Rookie of the Year

Our Rookie of the Year award honors the most groundbreaking crypto protocols of the year.

Pump.fun was launched in January 2024 and quickly became a sensation in the cryptocurrency world. The launchpad is now the highest-grossing launchpad on Solana, and transaction volume continues to grow. Without pump.fun, we wouldn’t have GOAT, PNUT, FART, ZEREBRO, MOODENG, and many other of our favorite coins this year. It’s safe to say that this app has changed the token issuance game forever, and we’re excited to see what pump has in store for us as it enters its second year. Pump.fun is Messari's 2024 Rookie of the Year.

AnnualLayer1

The annual L1 will be awarded to the L1 with the best performance in 2024.

2024 is the year of Solana. Driven by a vibrant user and application-led ecosystem, the Solana network delivers lightning-fast performance and low transaction costs under high activity loads in 2024. The emergence of memecoin culture on Solana has sparked a booming new crypto space, demonstrating the network's inherent strengths. As Solana's metrics continue to grow exponentially, it sets the standard for what a modern L1 blockchain should look and feel like. Congratulations to Solana for winning Messari's annual L1 award.

DeFi Protocol of the Year

The DeFi Protocol of the Year Award honors the best-performing DeFi applications of 2024.

Hyperliquid’s order book redefines the boundaries of on-chain possibility. As trading volume, open interest, and user adoption continue to grow, the protocol is becoming one of DeFi’s key leaders in the battle for centralized exchange share. Looking forward to 2025, we are eager to see the continued development of the L1 ecosystem.

DePIN Agreement of the Year

The DePIN Protocol of the Year Award honors the best-performing DePIN protocol of 2024.

Helium redefines the DePIN landscape, proving that cryptocurrencies can drive real-world value and utility. Since its launch in December 2023, Helium Mobile has grown to more than 120,000 users and offers the most affordable unlimited data plan on the market for just $20 per month. In addition, Helium's groundbreaking carrier program supports an average of 250,000-300,000 users per day for some of the largest mobile operators in the United States, demonstrating its ability to revolutionize connectivity infrastructure. Helium has been named the 2024 DePIN of the Year for its innovation, impact, and ability to connect cryptocurrencies to the “real world.”

Best Consumer App of the Year

The Consumer App of the Year Award honors the best-performing consumer app of 2024.

Polymarket proved that on-chain prediction markets are here to stay, registering nearly 1 million new accounts in this election year. On the demand side, users are investing billions in the election market, catching up with off-chain prediction markets. At the same time, Polymarket’s real-time probabilities of election results were widely cited by mainstream media and became a major source of objective news. Polymarket is the premier destination for anyone looking to bet on elections or simply stay informed.

Memecoin of the Year

The annual memecoin award is awarded to the best performing memecoin in 2024.

While GOAT is not the biggest memecoin this year, it is likely the most influential. Its incredible lore, integration with artificial intelligence, and implications for one of the most exciting new metas in cryptocurrency captured everyone’s attention. If artificial intelligence agents and their respective memecoins continue to dominate people’s attention in 2025, GOAT will forever be cemented as the one who started it all.

Account of the Year

Our X Account of the Year Award honors the top performing Crypto Twitter (CT) member of 2024.

This is a hotly contested award, but in the end, only the AI ​​agent will come out on top. @aixbt_agent grew his account's follower count to over 100,000 followers in less than a month, while consistently ranking high on Kaito's influence rankings. This agent's tireless analysis, constant replies, and ever-growing alpha pool are quickly becoming a must-see for anyone on CT.

Most active fund of the year

The Most Active Fund of the Year award is given to the venture capital fund that closed the most deals in 2024.

Animoca Brands leads the way with 107 transactions this year. While Animoca typically focuses on consumer and gaming, its portfolio has diversified over time, investing in a variety of categories including DePIN and AI.

Rally Token of the Year

The Rally Coin of the Year award is given to the coin with the most unexpected price reversal in 2024.

After facing endless FUD in previous years, SOL made a stunning turnaround in 2024, with its token price experiencing one of the most dramatic reversals the market has ever seen. The coin hit an all-time high at the end of the year and currently ranks among the top 5 most valuable coins in the cryptocurrency space.

Annual Investment Fund Blog

The Investment Fund Blog of the Year award is awarded to the liquid fund or VC blog that publishes the best content in 2024.

Syncracy Capital's content this year has been excellent, providing a wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics. We particularly appreciate the contrarian and forward-thinking perspective of their blog, which challenges existing perspectives and proposes new frameworks. From driving the market to focus less on infrastructure and more on applications to continuing to define the Solana narrative, Synracy Capital is driving critical conversations across the industry.

Independent Analyst of the Year

The Independent Analyst of the Year Award honors the independent analyst who publishes the best content in 2024.

In 2024, Kel's insights as an independent analyst shined. His posts on the memecoin supercycle and recent Substack articles are some of the best free content in the space.

Person of the Year

The Person of the Year Award is given to the most influential individual in the cryptocurrency space in 2024.

Michael Saylor needs no introduction. From doubling down on Bitcoin in partnership with MicroStrategy to dishing out wisecracks we'll be practicing for years to come, Michael Saylor makes sure everyone knows where he stands. His unwavering belief and tireless advocacy for Bitcoin have made him a polarizing but undeniable force in the space. This might be his best year ever and he deserves the victory celebration. There is no second best protagonist.