Should You Buy ApeCoin in 2025?

ApeCoin in brief

How much does 1 ApeCoin cost?

The price of ApeCoin is on the rise this week. Currently trading at ZAR 20.36, ApeCoin shows a 24-hour change of +2.7% and a solid 7-day increase of +8.4%. The market cap stands at ZAR 11.84 billion, with an average 3-month trading volume of about ZAR 1.22 billion, placing it at rank #68 globally. There are 604.9 million APE in circulation, representing 0.07% of the total crypto market dominance. This performance highlights ApeCoin's lively presence and possible momentum—essential for investors navigating a dynamic crypto landscape in South Africa.

Our comprehensive opinion on the cryptocurrency ApeCoin

Have investors fully grasped the renewed upside potential of ApeCoin as we transition into a pivotal phase for crypto assets? Our proprietary multi-factor analysis—blending recent on-chain metrics, technical signals, up-to-date market flows, and shifts in ApeCoin’s competitive landscape—sheds light on changing momentum over the past three years. So, why could ApeCoin become again in 2025 a strategic entry point within the expanding Web3/NFT infrastructure ecosystem?

Recent Performance & Market Context

Latest Price Evolution

After a protracted bear market that defined much of 2022 and 2023, ApeCoin (APE) has quietly regained composure and exhibited constructive price action into 2024. As of June 2024, ApeCoin is trading around 1.15 USD—climbing some 30% off its late 2023 lows and demonstrating a steady volume build-up.

• Three-Year Perspective: Despite a high-volatility descent from its all-time highs post-launch, APE has now stabilized within a broad $0.95–$1.45 channel.
• Market Volatility: 30-day realized volatility has moderated, providing a healthier environment for accumulation.
• Volume & Liquidity: Daily trading volumes have averaged $60–$85 million, with strong order book liquidity on major exchanges (Binance, Coinbase, Kraken).

Recent Positive Events

• Yuga Labs Ecosystem Expansion: APE remains the transactional backbone of Yuga Labs’ metaverse platforms (Otherside, HV-MTL Forge), with increased NFT-driven utility driving consistent demand for tokens.
• Integration Announcements: Major NFT and GameFi platforms have added ApeCoin as a payment/utility token, broadening its adoption footprint.
• DAO Governance Involvement: Community votes on treasury deployment signal deep, ongoing participation—crucial for the long-term credibility of the protocol.

Macro & Sector Tailwinds

• NFT & Metaverse Sector Revival: Renewed capital flows into NFT-related and metaverse protocols after a cooling-off period bode well for core assets linked to these trends.
• Global Crypto Regulation: Positive signals from South African financial authorities legitimize the asset class and favor institutional inflows—propping up blue-chip tokens like ApeCoin.
• Risk Appetite Recovery: Improvements in the global macro backdrop (moderating inflation, stabilizing rates) are sparking a return of risk-on sentiment in digital asset sectors.

Technical Analysis

Key Crypto Indicators

• Relative Strength Index (RSI): The daily RSI oscillates in the 48–57 range—firmly neutral, with a slight bullish bias reflected in higher lows since Q1 2024.
• MACD (12,26): MACD line has recently crossed above the signal, first time since early 2023, indicating a potential momentum shift towards sustained positive price action.
• 200-Day & 50-Day Moving Averages: Price action is consistently trading above both MAs for the first time in 10 months. The recent 50/200 bullish crossover (“golden cross”) bolsters the technical case for upward continuation.

Support, Reversal & Momentum

• Support Levels: $1.00 emerges as strong support, validated by both horizontal historical demand and recent high-volume node activity on-chain.
• Reversal Signs: Formation of a higher low followed by a breakout through declining resistance suggests the end of the downtrend.
• Short/Mid-Term Structure: The bullish structure is reinforced by holding above the key $1.15–$1.20 zone, with clear upside room toward $1.45–$1.60 as the next resistance band.

Fundamental Analysis

Growing Adoption & Strategic Partnerships

• Mainstream Brand Tie-Ins: Notable collaborations (Gucci, Adidas, etc.) continue to leverage ApeCoin, reinforcing its status as the go-to bridge between global brands and Web3 utility.
• Ecosystem Development: Ongoing launches of new DApps, marketplaces, and NFT collections enrich the APE ecosystem and sustain transactional demand for the token.
• BAYC & Otherside Integration: APE retains privileged “default currency” status for Bored Ape Yacht Club-related drops and metaverse experiences, an enduring community-driven value anchor.

Attractive Relative Valuation

• Market Cap: $672 million (as of June 2024) places ApeCoin within the top-60 crypto assets globally, ensuring substantial visibility and investability.
• Fully Diluted Valuation: At $1.15, FDV hovers around $1.15 billion—still well below peak NFT/Metaverse boom valuations, indicating room to mean-revert as sentiment improves.
• TVL (if applicable): While not a pure DeFi protocol, treasury assets and staking pools around ApeCoin represent growing “soft TVL,” with over $110 million staked directly or in LP pools.

Structural Strengths

• Technological Innovation: ApeCoin’s EVM-compatible framework accelerates new integrations across protocols—especially for gamified financial applications.
• Community Engagement: Active DAO participation, periodic vesting unlocks managed with care, and transparent communications from Yuga Labs all reinforce trust and brand loyalty.
• Differentiation: Unlike more generic utility coins, ApeCoin’s value proposition is deeply tied to real digital experiences and high-value intellectual property, giving it defensiveness against commoditization.

Market Volume & Liquidity

• Exchange Depth: Robust liquidity ensures efficient execution for retail and institutional players; sub-0.4% price impact for ~$10,000 trades on major platforms.
• Trade Volume: Average 24h volume ($65m+) demonstrates ongoing market confidence and keeps ApeCoin among the top-traded metaverse tokens.
• Dominance: ApeCoin maintains a leading share within the NFT/metaverse token sector, outperforming legacy “OG” NFT coins in both volume and developer engagement.

Catalysts & Positive Outlook

• Protocol Upgrades: Scheduled DAO votes on token utility enhancements and new integration modules through late 2024/early 2025 could act as major momentum triggers.
• NFT/DeFi Convergence: Planned launches of NFT-backed lending and yield platforms incorporating APE as collateral drive fresh demand.
• Regulatory Clarity: South African regulatory openness to crypto assets—as evidenced by FSCA guidelines—facilitates institutional adoption within the SADC region.
• Web3 Gaming Expansion: As AAA studios and Yuga Labs partners deploy new gaming experiences in 2025, the embedded role of ApeCoin as in-game currency expands TAM.

Investment Positioning Strategies (by Time Horizon)

Short-Term (<6 months)

• Momentum-based Entry: Technical momentum is supportive, with volatility compression and impending protocol updates. Short-term traders may seek to position around the $1.20 area with upside targets near recent local highs.
• Catalyst Trading: DAO proposals or ecosystem partnership announcements provide clear event-driven trade opportunities.

Medium-Term (6–18 months)

• Accumulation on Dips: Periodic technical pullbacks to strong support zones ($1.00–$1.10) provide compelling reentry points. Expanding NFT launches and DeFi integrations through 2025 furnish tailwinds.
• Ecosystem Growth Bets: Investors looking to play the Web3/NFT rebound can leverage APE’s leading market position in branded utility coins.

Long-Term (18 months+)

• Structural Play: ApeCoin’s foundational role in the growing Yuga Labs and broader metaverse economies offers enduring upside optionality. Projected regulatory clarity and mainstream NFT adoption may act as durable growth drivers.
• Strategic Hold: Staking, governance participation, and APE-based DApp utility all reinforce the medium/long-term value proposition.

ApeCoin 5-Year Price Forecast (ZAR)

Is Now the Time to Consider ApeCoin?

ApeCoin stands out with a combination of credible technical signals, re-accelerating ecosystem growth, and resilient community engagement. Its attractive current valuation, proven liquidity, and direct linkage to the premier NFT/metaverse IP position it as one of the most dynamic large-cap altcoins on the market. With protocol upgrades pending and a clear regulatory pathway, the coming quarters offer an unusually fertile context for new capital seeking exposure to NFT/gaming innovation.

The fundamentals justify renewed interest—ApeCoin could well be entering a new bullish phase, with technical and ecosystem catalysts working in tandem. Investors attuned to the evolving macro backdrop and sector shifts may find that ApeCoin represents an excellent opportunity to position ahead of renewed mainstream adoption.

ApeCoin remains a highly volatile cryptoasset, offering dynamic investment opportunities but requiring rigorous risk management. The recent acceleration in price action demonstrates ApeCoin’s capacity for rapid, substantial moves, but investors should remain mindful of the evolving macroeconomic context and select entry timing accordingly. Key technical levels to watch include 18 ZAR as immediate support and 29 ZAR as a primary resistance barrier—while the forthcoming Q2 2025 protocol upgrade could be a defining bullish catalyst for ApeCoin’s next chapter.

How to buy ApeCoin?

It’s easy and secure to buy the cryptocurrency ApeCoin online in South Africa, whether you’re a first-time investor or an experienced trader. The two main approaches are: spot purchase—owning the real ApeCoin in your crypto wallet—or trading ApeCoin via CFDs (Contracts for Difference), where you speculate on its price movements without owning the actual coin. Each method has its own features, risks, and fees. To help you choose wisely, you’ll find a detailed comparison of regulated platforms further down this page.

Spot Purchase of ApeCoin

Buying ApeCoin “spot” means you purchase and directly own the actual tokens, which are then stored safely in your crypto wallet. This method is straightforward and transparent: you buy ApeCoin at the current market price, with your investment fully exposed to its real market movements. Most regulated platforms in South Africa charge a fixed commission per transaction, often around 1%–2%, typically in ZAR (South African Rand).

Example

Suppose ApeCoin is priced at R30 per coin. Investing R20,000 lets you buy about 666 APE coins (R20,000 ÷ R30 = 666), assuming a transaction fee of about R200 (1%).
✔️ Profit scenario:
If ApeCoin’s price rises by 10%, your portfolio is now worth R22,000.
Result: R2,000 gross gain, i.e. +10% return on investment.

Trading ApeCoin via CFD

Trading ApeCoin via CFDs does not grant you real ownership of the coins. Instead, you take a position (buy or sell) on the expected price movement of ApeCoin, using leverage. This method often attracts traders seeking short-term gains and higher market exposure, but it also involves greater risk. CFD trading platforms charge a spread (the difference between buy and sell price), plus an overnight financing fee if you hold your position longer than a day.

Example

You open a CFD position on ApeCoin with R20,000 at 5× leverage—your exposure on the crypto market rises to R100,000.
✔️ Profit scenario:
If ApeCoin increases by 8%, your position gains 8% × 5 = 40%.
Result: R8,000 gain on a R20,000 stake (excluding fees).

Final Advice

Before you invest, always compare fees, supported coins, and security conditions among the platforms referenced above. Whether you choose to invest in real ApeCoin or to trade with CFDs depends on your investment objectives, risk tolerance, and experience. To support your decision, use our comprehensive platform comparison further down the page.

Our 7 tips for buying ApeCoin

The latest news about ApeCoin

ApeCoin (APE) saw increased trading volumes on Luno and VALR, indicating rising interest in South Africa. Over the past week, both major South African crypto exchanges, Luno and VALR, reported higher-than-average trading activity for ApeCoin. This uptick may be attributed to renewed local enthusiasm following ApeCoin’s inclusion in broader index products and several local influencers discussing the utility potential of APE in play-to-earn ecosystems, suggesting growing retail engagement in the region.

South African regulators affirmed the legal classification of ApeCoin as a digital asset, fostering clarity for local users and platforms. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), in its ongoing supervision of virtual assets, reiterated in a June update that ApeCoin is compliant with new digital asset guidelines, removing previous ambiguity over its status. This official confirmation ensures South African holders and businesses can engage with ApeCoin under a known regulatory regime, reducing uncertainty and encouraging further development.

Yuga Labs’ CEO cited ongoing collaboration with African NFT artists, highlighting ApeCoin’s role in supporting continental creatives. A public statement from Yuga Labs’ CEO noted the company’s ongoing partnership initiatives with African digital artists and communities, spotlighting upcoming NFT projects that will accept ApeCoin as a form of participation or transaction. This aligns ApeCoin with regional creative growth and signals positive prospects for greater local use within the NFT sector.

ApeCoin’s price resilience stood out as it recovered faster than peers after global market volatility, according to experts at CryptoCompare ZA. During a brief episode of global market instability last week, ApeCoin rebounded more swiftly than several leading altcoins, reclaiming prior support levels within 48 hours. Local analysts at CryptoCompare ZA attribute this resilience to diversified demand, including South African buyers using APE for gaming and NFT-related activities, which may indicate robust fundamentals and community backing.

VALR announced a limited-time trading reward program for ApeCoin, promoting adoption in the South African market. VALR, one of South Africa's largest exchanges, unveiled a new incentive program allowing users who trade ApeCoin to earn additional rewards over the next two weeks. This initiative aims to increase liquidity and visibility for ApeCoin among South African traders, possibly serving as a catalyst for sustained market integration and awareness.

FAQ

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.