Virtuals Protocol ($VIRTUAL) surged 16.97% in the past 24 hours, as investors revisit AI agent plays heading into the final stretch of April. After a volatile run last year, $VIRTUAL is regaining traction – and it’s not alone. Another hot AI play – MIND of Pepe ($MIND) – has just raised $8.5 million and is soon to launch the first iteration of its AI agent. AI agent narratives are heating up again. The broader crypto agent sector jumped 10.9% over the same 24-hour period, fueled by renewed risk appetite and a shift back toward innovation-led plays. But this time, the market isn’t buying into buzzwords alone. Last year, anything with “AI” in the name could raise capital. Now? Utility is the new alpha. Investors are looking for agents that actually work – not just whitepapers with hype. That’s exactly why MIND of Pepe has attracted millions of dollars in presale funding – and why whales are quietly positioning early. This isn’t just another speculative token. MIND of Pepe is preparing to ship its live AI trading agent – and on May 10 the crypto world will see it in action. Virtuals Protocol’s comeback reflects the broader AI agent trend – but a new contender is brewing Last year, $VIRTUAL started 2025 with a bang – smashing nearly 20,000% in gains from its all-time low to reach a record high of $5.07. That momentum didn’t last. The token eventually surrendered all of its gains, sinking below $0.50. However, April marked a major turning point: $VIRTUAL broke out of its downtrend, fueled by renewed investor confidence after the project resolved lingering token allocation concerns. A surge in trading volume further reignited interest, pushing $VIRTUAL back into the spotlight after months of consolidation. $VIRTUAL Virtuals Protocol has broken its Downtrend last week and also successfully confirmed the breakout Trend continuation is in progress Any dips into purple –> retest Shared in the Altcoin Market Update: https://t.co/eozOlvPREF #BTC #Crypto #VirtualsProtocol https://t.co/ufVGrkg52F pic.twitter.com/UGEdqA707U — Rekt Capital (@rektcapital) April 25, 2025 The entire crypto AI agent sector has been heating up as well, with another heavyweight, Bittensor ($TAO), climbing 66% over the past month. As of Tuesday, the crypto AI agent market cap has surpassed $6.9 billion – a major milestone showing the growing appetite for AI-driven projects. But, as mentioned, the dominant narrative now isn’t just about the hype. Today, investors are far more discerning – they’re backing projects that have already developed real, working technology. As Hyros CEO Alex Becker pointed out this week, $TAO’s breakout shows how the market favors actual crypto AI utility. If you look at TAOs chart the last 5 days (up nearly 50%) 1 thing is clear… AI crypto is going to be the dominant utility narrative. AI coins are going to blow up to completely absurd prices. The hype/pressure will be unreal. pic.twitter.com/nLiuqK6CaZ — Alex Becker (@ZssBecker) April 21, 2025 That’s exactly why MIND of Pepe has surged past $8.5 million in presale funding. MIND isn’t just selling an idea – it’s shipping a live AI agent, ready to go public even before the presale ends. And what it has is a system so intelligently designed it could reshape the way crypto trading is done forever. While many projects are still writing whitepapers, MIND of Pepe is getting ready to ship MIND of Pepe is a crypto-native AI agent built to scan the market, track real activity, and find trading opportunities – whether the market’s up or down. It analyzes: Social sentiment trends to spot early narrative shifts On-chain activity like wallet movements and token launches DEX trading surges and liquidity shifts Market fundamentals from live data feeds All these signals are processed through a system designed to filter out real opportunities from the noise. Presale holders get first access to MIND’s early insights – offering a critical first-mover advantage. And what makes MIND different isn’t just the data it reads – it’s how it thinks: trained to understand crypto-native context, connect trends, and adapt over time. With its live AI agent launching on May 10, MIND of Pepe aims to give traders an edge in a market that moves faster than ever. It’s a rare sight in crypto: while still collecting presale funds, the project is already building and launching real technology – showing exactly where serious investor capital is starting to flow. Whales are positioning for MIND of Pepe’s launch As MIND of Pepe’s launch date draws closer, deep-pocketed crypto players have been quietly moving in. On Sunday, a major buy-in bought roughly 33 million $MIND tokens – totaling about $125,000 in fresh capital. This early accumulation signals smart money at work – investors who spot potential before the broader market catches up. In crypto, following smart money often leads straight to real opportunities – long before the headlines catch up. And in this case, early movers aren’t just betting on MIND of Pepe’s AI capabilities – they’re positioning to benefit from a token that powers an entire AI ecosystem. As demand continues to build during the presale, $ MIND could deliver even bigger gains once the project’s live AI agent launches and visibility expands across the crypto space. Here’s your shot to become a whale in a crypto AI agent project that isn’t just promising tech – it’s launching it To join, simply head to the MIND of Pepe website , connect your wallet – like Best Wallet – and grab $MIND using ETH, USDT, or even a bank card. $MIND is currently priced at $0.0037465 per token – but this price is only available for the next 13 hours, after which a scheduled price increase will kick off the next funding stage. Even from the initial presale purchase, $MIND holders can already earn a 268% annual percentage yield (APY) through the project’s own staking protocol, offering rewards while waiting for full launch. The yield changes dynamically in response to the amount of tokens deposited into the staking smart contract. MIND of Pepe has also been spotlighted in Best Wallet’s ‘Upcoming Tokens’ section – a curated screener that highlights projects primed for upside with impressive accuracy. Best Wallet is available now on Google Play or the Apple App Store . Stay connected with the MIND of Pepe community on X and Telegram for exclusive dev drops, airdrop announcements, and fresh trading insights. The post $VIRTUAL Pumps 16.97% – Meanwhile, $MIND Bags $8.5M as Whales Ape Into the AI Agent That Actually Sends appeared first on Cryptonews .
