Market Downturn? Not For Optimism: A16z’s Major OP Purchase Sends Price Skyrocketing By 9%

As a researcher with extensive experience in the crypto market, I’ve been closely monitoring the recent developments within the Layer 2 blockchain protocol Optimism. The past month has brought about significant challenges to the crypto market, but Optimism has managed to stand out as a top performer.


Amidst a turbulent crypto market month, Layer 2 (L2) blockchain solution Optimism has stood out as a top performer. Within the last 24 hours, the native OP token of Optimism experienced an impressive surge of 9%, making it the top gainer among the leading 100 cryptocurrencies.

The significant increase can be attributed to venture capital firm a16z, who are said to have invested approximately $90 million in Optimism’s OP token. This investment serves as a clear indication of increasing institutional backing for the layer 2 protocol.

OP Receives Major Investment

Insiders close to the situation have disclosed to Unchained that a16z has obtained a substantial ownership of Optimism’s OP tokens.

The investment, featuring a two-year vesting requirement, signifies Andreessen Horowitz’s (a16z) strong commitment to Layer 2 protocols and aligns with their expanding role in the cryptocurrency sector. It is worth mentioning that a16z’s portfolio currently holds crypto exchange Coinbase as an investment.

A16z’s investment in Optimism occurs during a time of heightened activity and expansion within the Optimism community. The popularity of Optimism’s OP Stack is on the rise, underscoring its worth. Additionally, the protocol’s capacity to enhance scalability and decrease transaction fees on the Ethereum blockchain has drawn considerable interest.

The representative of Optimism spoke with great excitement about the investment, recognizing the buzz and potential it holds for the protocol. Partnering with a prominent venture capital firm such as a16z is believed to accelerate growth and inspire new advancements within the Optimism community.

Around March 7, the Optimism Foundation revealed that it had sold approximately 19.5 million OP tokens, equivalent to almost $90 million, to an unnamed purchaser.

Based on reports, 30% of the tokens originated from OP‘s treasury and were allocated for the foundation’s operational expenses. It was mentioned that the purchaser had the ability to transfer these tokens to external entities, thereby allowing them a role in Optimism’s governance process.

The foundation declined to reveal the identity of the buyer or the exact terms of the confidential sale.

Key Levels To Watch For Optimism

The Optimism ecosystem and its token OP have experienced significant growth lately. However, the token’s price is presently more than 47% below its record high, which was attained on March 6, 2024.

As a crypto investor, I’ve noticed an intriguing development with OP‘s trading volume. According to my analysis of CoinGecko data, this volume has seen a significant jump, climbing over 113% compared to the previous day on April 30. This translates to approximately $600 billion in trading activity within the last 24 hours.

Market Downturn? Not For Optimism: A16z’s Major OP Purchase Sends Price Skyrocketing By 9%

Significant resistance for the token exists around the $2.62 price point, making it an important level to keep an eye on. Additionally, there’s a possibility that the token may revisit the $3 price range in the future.

A positive sign that the Optimism token is recovering would be if it manages to break through and hold above the $3.92 level, signaling an end to the prolonged decline in price over the past month and a half.

As a researcher studying the price movements of OP‘s token, I have observed that the $2.37 zone has played a pivotal role in providing support to the token’s price. Over the last five trading days, this level has successfully prevented any further decline and kept the price from dropping even lower.

As I delve further into the analysis, the price point of $2.25 emerges as a significant support. However, it is essential to note that the most pivotal level of support can be found at $2.11. This crucial level has played a vital role in shaping Optimism’s macro bullish structure, marking the initiation of its current upward trend.

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2024-05-02 05:12