TLDR WAXP’s price trajectory hinges on ecosystem growth, gaming sector trends, and regulatory shifts.
- Deflationary Shift – WAX’s transition to a burn-driven model could tighten supply if adoption accelerates.
- Gaming Sector Health – Struggling Web3 gaming demand may pressure WAXP’s utility despite its chain dominance.
- Stablecoin Regulation – GENIUS Act’s blockchain-agnostic rules might slow institutional tokenization momentum.
Deep Dive
1. Tokenomics Shift to Burn Model (Mixed Impact)
Overview: WAX has reduced its inflation rate to 3.9% (WAX) and introduced a deflationary mechanism where PowerUp usage burns WAXP. This pivot aims to align token supply with real network activity rather than staking rewards.
What this means: While reduced inflation (down from 18% in 2023) could support price stability, sustained burns depend on increased transaction volume. Current daily volume of $3.55M (down 9.7% YoY) suggests limited near-term deflationary pressure.
2. Web3 Gaming Consolidation (Bearish Risk)
Overview: The Web3 gaming sector saw a 17% drop in daily users and 93% YoY funding decline in Q2 2025 (DappRadar). However, WAX led chains in transaction count, processing 4.8M daily gaming-related actions.
What this means: WAX’s niche in gaming infrastructure provides resilience, but broader sector contraction risks reducing developer activity and NFT trading volume – key drivers of WAXP utility.
3. GENIUS Act Implications (Neutral/Bullish)
Overview: The GENIUS Act allows traditional institutions to issue stablecoins without blockchain integration (William Quigley). While this may slow financial tokenization, it legitimizes blockchain-adjacent assets like WAXP.
What this means: Reduced regulatory uncertainty could attract institutional interest in WAX’s NFT/gaming ecosystem, though competition from TradFi stablecoins may dilute short-term benefits.
Conclusion
WAXP’s deflationary pivot and gaming foothold offer upside, but sector-wide headwinds and mixed regulatory tailwinds suggest volatile sideways movement. Monitor WAX’s PowerUp burn rate post-NFTOPIA 5 (16–17 August) for adoption signals. Will Web3 gaming’s “quality over hype” phase favor WAX’s infrastructure?