Uniswap Hits Record Daily Volume Amid Whale-Led Altcoin Rotation
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Uniswap, the leading decentralized exchange (DEX) on Ethereum, has recorded its highest-ever daily trading volume, surpassing $3.1 billion in swaps on Friday. The surge comes as several crypto whales initiated large-scale altcoin rotations, moving capital from underperforming tokens into newer DeFi and AI-linked assets, according to on-chain analytics firm Lookonchain.
Data from Dune Analytics shows that trading activity spiked between 6 a.m. and 12 p.m. UTC, with more than 14,000 unique wallets interacting with the platform during that window. Ethereum-based tokens like LDO, GRT, FET, and new entrants such as RNDRX and ARCHAI were among the top gainers, with liquidity pools experiencing unprecedented volume and slippage compression.
The movement appears to be coordinated among a small number of whale wallets, some of which have previously been linked to early VC funds and Layer 2 project treasuries. Analysts believe these whales are reallocating capital based on Q3 roadmaps, token unlock schedules, and early signs of momentum in emerging categories like decentralized AI infrastructure and data indexing.
Uniswap’s native governance token, UNI, also responded positively, gaining 8.7% to trade at $11.94, its highest price in nearly a year. Trading fees generated for liquidity providers hit $7.6 million in 24 hours — a major revenue milestone for the protocol and a positive signal for long-term holders.
The surge in activity comes just weeks after Uniswap Labs introduced fee tier upgrades and improved routing for high-volume pairs, optimizing capital efficiency for both traders and LPs. These backend improvements have made the platform more competitive with centralized exchanges, especially for tokens that lack deep liquidity on CEXs.
Several traders on X (formerly Twitter) speculated that this could be the beginning of a broader altcoin season, as on-chain behavior points toward accumulation of mid-cap assets with upcoming catalysts. DeFi influencers are also touting Uniswap as a critical venue for price discovery in the next cycle, especially given increased regulatory scrutiny on centralized platforms.
Regulatory analysts noted that Uniswap’s ability to process billions in daily volume — without a central intermediary — could become a focal point in upcoming U.S. discussions about decentralized exchange governance and liability. However, so far, there is no indication that recent volume growth has drawn negative attention from regulators.
With the platform continuing to evolve technically and attract both retail and institutional flow, Uniswap appears to be reinforcing its dominance in the DeFi sector. If momentum holds, UNI may soon retest key resistance levels at $13.00, while whales quietly continue reshaping the altcoin landscape from behind the scenes.
