Avalanche (AVAX) Kicks Off 2026 Strong With Rising Price, Ecosystem Growth, and Institutional Adoption

• AVAX gained nearly 12% while social engagement surged 71% as ETF filings and staking features boosted sentiment.
• Grayscale and VanEck updated AVAX ETF filings to include staking rewards, signaling rising institutional interest.

Avalanche (AVAX) has opened 2026 with upward momentum in both price and network activity. AVAX rose 11.9% as institutional interest picked up, while social engagement on the network grew by 71.1%, according to LunarCrush. Market data shows that while top cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum remained steady, AVAX was among the top gainers across large-cap tokens.

Institutional filings for AVAX-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs), now updated to include staking, are widely viewed as a major driver of recent demand. According to a CNF report, Grayscale has recently filed an amended S-1 filing with the US SEC to transform its Avalanche Trust into a spot ETF. The new structure would permit owners of up to 70% of AVAX in the trust to be staked, with the earned rewards being distributed to investors. This model transforms the product into a yield-based instrument. 

VanEck later made similar amendments to its Avalanche ETF filing, which also included staking rewards. Bitwise, in the meantime, has submitted requests to list several altcoin ETFs, including one pegged to AVAX, which indicates wider institutional interest.

The ETF proposals come as part of a broader trend in staking-enabled investment vehicles aiming to offer investors both exposure and yield.

Avalanche Supply Unlocks on the Horizon

Avalanche has a scheduled token unlock that might bring new supply to the market. According to a CNF report, 700,000 AVAX tokens worth $8.6 million will be unlocked, which is approximately 0.16% of the present supply.

The unlock is one of several planned releases in early 2026, and traders are closely monitoring price reaction around these events. Due to positive developments, AVAX’s price is currently trading above the key $12 support zone. 

At press time, the AVAX price was trading at $13.46, a 9.20% surge from the intraday low of $12.26. During the rally, AVAX’s trading volume and market capitalization soared by 149% and 9%, respectively, to $564.56 million and $5.79 billion.

Top crypto analysts are suggesting that if the AVAX price maintains this level and breaks its descending trendline, the structure could support a further breakout. According to crypto analyst Marzell Crypto, the AVAX price’s next resistance levels post the unlock and bullish trend are $34.31, $40.63, and $46.53, assuming momentum continues.

Other top analysts have backed AVAX to be one of this year’s stellar performers. Anthony Scaramucci, a Wall Street veteran and the founder of SkyBridge Capital, singled out Avalanche (alongside Solana and TON) as the standout altcoins this year in a recent interview.