Updated on:12/11/2025 05:51 PM 
CoinMarketCap has introduced the highly anticipated CMC Crypto Awards, a groundbreaking initiative designed to honor exceptional achievements within the cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem. This prestigious event aims to recognize outstanding contributions made by networks, innovators, and technological advancements that continue to shape the future of digital assets.
The inaugural awards ceremony will be held from February 21 to March 6, 2024, providing crypto enthusiasts and professionals an opportunity to celebrate the industry's most significant accomplishments.
Winners of the CMC Crypto Awards will be determined through a comprehensive evaluation process, incorporating CoinMarketCap's extensive data resources, insights from expert panels, and active community participation. The highly anticipated winners will be officially announced during the closing ceremony on March 6.
"We believe in recognizing excellence and innovation that drives our industry forward," said Rush Luton, CEO of CoinMarketCap. "These awards will celebrate the achievements that often go unnoticed but are fundamental to our ecosystem's growth and development."
The CMC Crypto Awards will showcase excellence across eight distinct categories, each highlighting different aspects of the blockchain industry's evolution and impact.
The coveted Crypto of the Year award will recognize projects demonstrating groundbreaking innovation and lasting impact on the digital asset landscape. This year's nominees represent some of the most influential networks in the industry: Ripple, Solana, Chainlink, Ethereum, and Toncoin.
The Crypto Leader of the Year category will honor visionary individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in combating uncertainty and driving technological advancement, adoption, and regulatory progress worldwide. Notable nominees include former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, Messari CEO Ryan Selkis, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, and Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission CEO Julia Leung.
Recognizing the cultural phenomenon that has emerged in the crypto space, the Meme Coin of the Year category celebrates projects that have successfully combined humor, community engagement, and viral potential. Leading contenders include Pepe, Milady, Memecoin, Bonk, and Ordinals.
The Most Innovative DeFi Protocol award will highlight projects that have made unique contributions to the rapidly evolving decentralized finance landscape. Top nominated protocols include Uniswap, Unibot, EigenLayer, MakerDAO, and Friend.Tech.
In the Most Innovative L1, L2, and Cross-Chain Project category, the focus is on networks that have demonstrated remarkable advancements in scalability, security, and interoperability. Key nominees include Arbitrum, Aptos, Axelar, ZKSync, and Celestia.
Acknowledging the critical role of communication and education in the crypto space, the Top Crypto Influencer category will highlight content creators who have significantly enriched the discourse and advanced community understanding. Prominent nominees include Lookonchain, ZachXBT, CryptosRUs, Wendy O, and The DeFi Edge.
Finally, the Bridge Builder of the Year award will celebrate established brands that have successfully integrated Web3 technologies to enhance customer value and experiences. This year's nominees represent major industry players: BlackRock for its pioneering Bitcoin ETF, PayPal for its PYUSD stablecoin, Reddit for its gamified avatar system, Starbucks for its Web3 loyalty initiatives, and Nike for its innovative blend of fashion, sports, gaming, and Web3 through strategic partnerships.
The CMC Crypto Awards represent CoinMarketCap's commitment to recognizing excellence across the entire blockchain ecosystem, from emerging projects to established industry leaders and innovators.
