Realized Capitalization

Definition ∞ Realized capitalization is a metric used in cryptocurrency markets to estimate the value of an asset based on the price at which each unit last moved on-chain. Unlike market capitalization, which uses the current price for all units, realized capitalization accounts for the actual acquisition cost of tokens. It provides a more accurate view of the aggregate cost basis of all circulating units.
Context ∞ Realized capitalization serves as a significant on-chain indicator for assessing market cycles and investor behavior in digital assets. Discussions frequently analyze its relationship with market capitalization to identify periods of profit-taking or capitulation. A critical future development involves the integration of this metric into more sophisticated predictive models, offering deeper insights into market sentiment and potential price movements for various cryptocurrencies.