- KernelDAO’s price jumped to a high of $0.23 following listing news from Upbit.
- The KERNEL token reached an all-time high above $0.46 in April, and bulls may now target that level again.
- A broader rally in the crypto market would likely support further gains for the token.
The native token of the restaking protocol KernelDAO, KERNEL, surged more than 25% early Tuesday, reaching an intraday high of $0.23.
While some bulls took profits, the spike pushed the token to the top of the performance charts across the cryptocurrency market.
Given the overall crypto sentiment, could Upbit’s listing amplify KERNEL’s upward momentum as interest in restaking protocols grows?
Upbit listing lifts Kernel to $0.23 high
As noted above, the sudden vertical move in KERNEL’s price appears to have been triggered by traders’ reaction to Upbit’s announcement.
On October 28, 2025, South Korea’s major crypto exchange confirmed the token’s listing in the won market and added trading support on the Ethereum network.
The listing instantly sparked buying pressure, driving KernelDAO’s daily volume sharply higher as bulls pushed KERNEL up from an intraday low near $0.16 to the day’s peak of $0.23.
Notably, one-day volume exceeded $316 million, an astonishing 1,540% increase over the prior 24 hours.
KERNEL was one of the few top altcoins to record a double-digit move that day, rising more than 20%.
The token ranked among the top gainers alongside projects such as Hedera’s HBAR, Pump.fun’s PUMP, and Bittensor’s TAO.
Why is KernelDAO attracting so much attention?
KernelDAO is a leading restaking protocol that helps power an ecosystem with over $1.7 billion in total value locked.
Backed by YZi Labs, the project runs across major blockchains including Ethereum and the BNB Chain.
Its core product suite includes Kernel, Kelp, Gain, and Kred, the latter focusing on real-world asset integrations.
Upbit’s listing represents the latest show of bullish support for the KERNEL token. Upbit is known for an active trading community, and the listing not only raises KERNEL’s visibility but also unlocks additional liquidity pools.
KernelDAO provides restaking infrastructure and a variety of staking-related services. It enables restaking on the BNB Chain, supports BNB liquid restaking tokens (LRT), and offers opportunities for Bitcoin (BTC) restaking.
The project also operates an Ethereum-native restaking protocol that runs directly on the Ethereum network. This system includes vault-style smart contracts designed to manage staked ETH, rsETH, and other liquid staking token (LST) assets.
The platform’s native KERNEL token serves multiple roles across the ecosystem, including governance, restaking incentives, and insurance enhancement.
Bulls set sights on $0.50 next
KERNEL hit an all-time high of $0.46 in April 2025, then fell to a low of $0.09 in June before recovering more than 115% from that bottom.
At present, the token trades around $0.19, meaning bulls remain roughly 57% below the peak.
With renewed institutional interest, clearer regulation in key regions, and macroeconomic conditions that may favor risk assets, KernelDAO stands to benefit as the broader crypto market recovers.
DeFiLlama reports the protocol’s total value locked (TVL) has exceeded $1.7 billion, highlighting the project’s growing footprint.
As gains spread across the restaking sector, KernelDAO’s ecosystem could receive additional tailwinds.
Upside targets include a return to the all-time high and a breakout above $0.50. On the downside, buyers need to maintain robust activity around the $0.18 and $0.16 levels to support further advances.