Will Aptos (APT) and Filecoin (FIL) Drive the Next Layer 1 Narrative Shift?

Aptos (APT) and Filecoin (FIL) are showing renewed signs of strength, each emerging as a notable contender in the Layer-1 blockchain landscape through very different, but equally powerful, strategic paths. The divergence highlights a maturing market where projects are now being valued for their unique, ecosystem-specific catalysts.

With rising user engagement, bullish technical setups, and growing adoption, both platforms are capturing the attention of market analysts

Aptos Expands With Strong On-Chain Metrics and DeFi Growth

Aptos is experiencing a significant uptick in ecosystem activity, particularly within its decentralized finance (DeFi) sector. Cumulative DEX trading volume across the network has surpassed $21.1 billion, underscoring a strong appetite for native DeFi applications.

Related: Filecoin Fortifies Trust in AGI Development as FIL Price Shows Bullish Potential

Thala Labs leads with over $7 billion in volume, followed by Cellana Finance with nearly $5 billion. Hyperion, a newer DEX on the network, has already processed over $3.5 billion in trades in just four months.

User interaction has also seen steady growth. More than 2.38 million unique addresses have interacted with Aptos-based DEXs. Over $750,000 in fees generated this week alone reflects consistent trading activity and growing platform utility.

On-chain metrics support this momentum. Daily active addresses recently rose by 15.8% to over 1.08 million. The network processes more than 6 million daily transactions and sees the deployment of between 100 and 400 smart contracts per day, highlighting increasing developer engagement.

Native projects such as Aries Markets, Chingari, Wapal, and Cellana are playing a major role in this expansion. Notably, 98.74% of user activity takes place within Aptos-native protocols, pointing to a self-sustaining ecosystem with sticky network effects. Meanwhile, Aptos is trading at $4.51, a 2.19% rise in the past day, reducing its loss to 18.3% in the past month.

Filecoin Gains Traction With Bullish Setup and Enterprise Adoption

Filecoin is also seeing renewed interest, supported by both technical indicators and growing adoption. The token recently broke out of a falling wedge formation on the daily chart, a pattern often associated with bullish reversals.

Currently trading around $2.44, analysts like Jonathan Carter suggest potential price targets ranging from $2.75 to $4.85, contingent on a successful retest of support. As of this press time, FIL $2.43, a 2.3% rise in the past day, reducing its loss in the past month to 17.2%.

On the adoption front, the Filecoin Foundation reports more than 1 exbibyte of paid storage deals, with an uptick in enterprise usage. The network is evolving beyond raw storage capacity toward value-added storage solutions aimed at AI and Web3 clients. Filecoin’s strategic shift is driving more revenue-focused use cases.

Related: NEAR Protocol’s Growth Soars: 46 Million Active Users in May 2025, Close to Solana: Report

Some long-term predictions are even more bullish. Analyst Javon Marks points to a historical pattern suggesting a potential breakout to $190, a speculative, yet technically informed, forecast representing over 6,600% upside.