Massive Polkadot (DOT) Rally Ahead? Here’s What’s Driving It

TL;DR

• JAM upgrade aims to eliminate gas fees and support modular blockchains, boosting Polkadot’s scalability.
• Over $300M locked in Polkadot’s DeFi as vDOT/ETH pool and stablecoin usage expand.
• DOT long/short ratio at 1.06 shows cautious bullish sentiment as analysts target $11.60 breakout.

Polkadot Regains Critical Level

Polkadot (DOT) recently moved back above a key support zone that was lost during the tariff dispute. At the time of writing, DOT trades at $4.45, up 3% in the past 24 hours and 8% over the past week.

Analyst Friedrich cited revived price strength as a possibility of a broader rally. They mentioned that DOT could follow a path similar to past cycles, possibly targeting a tenfold increase. This sentiment shift is accompanied by the increasing adoption and institutional participation.

$DOT history is about to repeat.

10X rally has just started. Don’t fade @Polkadot! ✍️

Massive adoption, institutions interest and growth.

Here’s why I’m bullish on $DOT:

JAM Upgrade • A Scalability Revolution:
As of July 23, 2025, the JAM (Join-Accumulate Machine) upgrade,… pic.twitter.com/9kG9xETcqG

— Friedrich (@FriedrichBtc) July 23, 2025

Interestingly, the upcoming Join-Accumulate Machine (JAM) upgrade is viewed as a key driver behind DOT’s renewed momentum. The JAM protocol replaces the existing Relay Chain with a scalable system that has multiple mini-blockchains running in parallel, with gas fees removed.

With 38 development teams involved and millions allocated in incentives, the JAM rollout is expected to strengthen Polkadot’s role in Web3 development. The upgrade is scheduled to start by the end of 2025.

Growth in DeFi and Stablecoin Use

Polkadot’s DeFi activity continues to expand, with more than $300 million now locked in its ecosystem. Annual percentage returns on top crypto assets remain strong, offering nearly 19% on both ETH and BTC. The vDOT/ETH pool, launching July 24, is expected to boost liquidity and usage of DOT further.

Meanwhile, a newly signed U.S. stablecoin law has favored Polkadot’s interoperable network. Companies like Bastion and Ripio are now building on the platform, and Tether (USDT) is already live.

Institutional Signals and Market Positioning

DOT’s multichain reach has grown through integration with Uniswap V4 and Arbitrum. A 10-coin ETF proposal remains on hold, but interest from large investors continues. Roman, another analyst, sees DOT completing a Wyckoff spring phase, projecting the next move toward $11.60, with possible future zones at $23.80, $32.90, and $55.00.

Current futures market data shows a long/short ratio of 1.06, with 51.24% of traders on the long side. The balance indicates a cautious but slightly bullish mood in the market.

During the recent 2025 Web3 Summit in Berlin, Polkadot founder Gavin Wood introduced a new Proof-of-Personhood (PoP) concept. This on-chain system will facilitate human identity verification without using any centralized authority, which introduces a new pathway into network participation and trust.