ANKR Rises Into Top 100 Crypto by Market Cap — Here’s Why

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In a crypto market often shadowed by volatility, ANKR has emerged as a standout performer, surging nearly 40% in just one week. With a current market cap of $3.62 billion and trading at approximately $0.044, ANKR has gained over 60% in the past month and nearly 180% year-to-date. This impressive momentum, tracked via CoinGecko, has propelled ANKR into the ranks of the top 100 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization.

While the broader market isn’t yet in a confirmed bull cycle, ANKR’s resilience stands in contrast to the prolonged bearish sentiment that dominated 2021 and 2022. Despite remaining well below its all-time high (ATH) of over $0.21—representing a decline of more than 79%—the project has demonstrated strong fundamentals and growing adoption.

Why Is ANKR Gaining Momentum?

Several key factors are driving ANKR’s resurgence, including strategic partnerships, expanding ecosystem usage, and rising demand for decentralized infrastructure.

One major indicator of growth is the surge in DeFi activity on the Ankr network. According to DefiLlama, the protocol’s Total Value Locked (TVL) has grown from around $16 million in July 2022 to over $70 million. This reflects increasing trust and utilization among decentralized applications (dApps) and developers.

Ankr currently supports over 40,000 developers building on its platform. Major names in the crypto space—including Binance, Polygon, Avalanche, Aave, Optimism, 1inch, and Project Galaxy—rely on Ankr’s infrastructure for RPC services, API access, and node deployment.

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The project offers a comprehensive suite of Web3 development tools:

As liquid staking gains traction globally—especially amid regulatory scrutiny on centralized staking services like Kraken’s U.S. shutdown—decentralized alternatives like Ankr are stepping into the spotlight. With Kraken paying a $30 million SEC penalty and exiting U.S. staking markets, demand for non-custodial, compliant staking solutions is rising fast.

Liquid staking derivatives (LSDs), which allow users to earn yield while maintaining liquidity, remain largely unregulated and are seeing increased trading volume. Ankr’s role in enabling cross-chain liquid staking positions it well to capture this growing market.

Powering the Future of Web3 Infrastructure

Founded in 2017 by Chandler Song (CEO), Ryan Fang (COO), and Stanley Wu (CTO), Ankr is a blockchain-based platform designed to decentralize internet infrastructure. Its mission is to empower users with full ownership and control over their data and applications by eliminating reliance on centralized intermediaries.

Ankr achieves this by merging two transformative movements: Web3 and DeFi. The platform advances its vision through three core principles:

Originally launched as a distributed cloud computing network, Ankr has evolved into a leading provider of node hosting and blockchain deployment solutions across Proof-of-Stake (PoS) networks.

Through its node-as-a-service model, users can deploy and stake on blockchains like BNB Smart Chain, Fantom, and Polygon—even without technical expertise. Ankr handles all backend operations, from setup to maintenance, allowing users to earn staking rewards simply by paying a monthly fee.

At the heart of this ecosystem is the ANKR token, a utility and governance token with a total supply of 1 billion (816 million currently in circulation). It powers payments for API access, node deployment, and governance participation across the network.

The platform supports multiple staking models—including liquid staking, pooled staking, and parachain liquidity bonding—making it easier for users to validate transactions and earn rewards across chains.

With its global node delivery system and RPC aggregator, Ankr already processes over 3 trillion transactions annually on Web2 infrastructure—laying the groundwork for scalable Web3 adoption.

Strategic Partnership with Microsoft Azure

A pivotal moment came recently when Ankr partnered with tech giant Microsoft to launch decentralized node hosting services on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. The announcement triggered a 69% spike in ANKR’s price within hours.

“This partnership is a major milestone for Ankr and a signal of how far decentralized networks have come in integrating with key players at every layer of the tech stack,” said Chandler Song, CEO of Ankr. “We’re entering an era where both new Web3 projects and large enterprises will build blockchain-powered applications at scale.”

Under this collaboration, Ankr provides enterprise-grade node deployment services—including relaying transactions, deploying smart contracts, and reading/writing blockchain data—with low-latency connectivity. This enables Web3 developers to focus on scaling their apps without managing infrastructure.

To enhance performance, Ankr is upgrading its load balancer using Azure-based routing solutions. This ensures RPC requests are efficiently directed to the optimal node based on proximity and availability.

Users gain full control over node specifications—such as memory, throughput, and geographic location—while benefiting from Microsoft’s robust cloud infrastructure.

Rashmi Misra, General Manager of AI at Microsoft, emphasized:

“Developers and organizations are increasingly exploring how Web3 can solve real-world business challenges. Our collaboration with Ankr enables secure, scalable, and reliable access to blockchain data.”

Although Microsoft previously discontinued its Azure Blockchain Service in 2021 and banned crypto mining on its cloud in 2022—citing security risks—the company is clearly re-engaging with blockchain through strategic Web3 infrastructure partnerships.

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Collaboration with Tencent Cloud

Microsoft isn’t the only tech titan backing Ankr. The platform has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tencent Cloud, aiming to co-develop a full suite of high-performance blockchain API services.

These services will be powered by a decentralized, globally shared RPC node network—designed to support enterprises, games, dApps, and virtual worlds requiring seamless blockchain integration.

Ankr will help enterprises deploy dedicated blockchain node clusters leveraging Tencent Cloud’s global infrastructure. By combining Tencent’s ecosystem reach with Ankr’s blockchain expertise, the partnership aims to deliver fast, reliable solutions capable of handling massive node traffic.

Key benefits include:

“This partnership simplifies access to blockchain data with a strong focus on performance,” said CEO Chandler Song.

The result will be an out-of-the-box blockchain platform that lowers entry barriers for companies exploring Web3. It will enable easier smart contract deployment while enhancing security, reliability, and scalability.

Driving Innovation in Web3 Sports with Chiliz

Beyond cloud giants, Ankr plays a crucial role in Chiliz, the leading blockchain for sports and fan engagement behind Socios.com and GameUsed.com.

Chiliz selected Ankr to power its new Chiliz Chain, citing Ankr’s cloud-native architecture, scalability, environmental efficiency, and reliability. Built on Ankr’s sidechain technology, the Chiliz Chain is fully EVM-compatible and features advanced access control and intellectual property (IP) protection.

“Ankr’s secure and high-speed infrastructure allows Chiliz to build a cutting-edge ecosystem,” said Thibaut Pelletier, CTO of Chiliz. “We believe this will be a game-changer for sports and entertainment brands embracing Web3.”

Developers can now create custom tokens, NFTs, and business logic on the Chiliz platform while safeguarding their IP—opening doors for NFTs, play-to-earn (P2E) gaming, and real-world sports integrations.

Ankr’s involvement positions it as a foundational layer in the rapidly growing Web3 sports sector—a space projected to see exponential growth as fans seek deeper engagement through digital collectibles and tokenized experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the ANKR token used for?
A: The ANKR token serves as a utility currency for paying API fees, node hosting services, and participating in network governance decisions.

Q: Can I stake ANKR tokens?
A: Yes. While ANKR itself isn’t typically staked directly like PoS coins, it enables liquid staking across multiple chains through Ankr’s node services.

Q: Is Ankr compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)?
A: Yes. Ankr supports EVM-compatible chains such as BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, Avalanche, and Fantom—and powers EVM-based sidechains like Chiliz Chain.

Q: How does Ankr generate revenue?
A: Revenue comes from subscription fees for node hosting, API usage charges, and enterprise solutions sold to developers and businesses.

Q: Why did ANKR price surge recently?
A: The rally was fueled by major partnerships with Microsoft Azure and Tencent Cloud, increased DeFi TVL, growing developer adoption, and rising interest in liquid staking.

Q: Is Ankr a good long-term investment?
A: While no crypto investment is risk-free, Ankr’s expanding ecosystem, institutional partnerships, and role in critical Web3 infrastructure suggest strong long-term potential.

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Final Thoughts

Although predicting cryptocurrency prices is inherently uncertain, ANKR’s recent trajectory points to strong underlying momentum. Strategic alliances with Microsoft and Tencent Cloud validate its technological credibility. Meanwhile, growing adoption among developers and rising TVL signal increasing demand.

As more organizations turn to decentralized infrastructure for reliability and scalability, Ankr is well-positioned to become a cornerstone of the Web3 economy.

With continued innovation in liquid staking, cross-chain interoperability, and enterprise solutions, ANKR is not just riding the wave—it’s helping build it.

Core Keywords: ANKR, Web3 infrastructure, liquid staking, blockchain API, DeFi, node hosting, Microsoft Azure, Tencent Cloud