The Avalanche blockchain surpassed 1 million daily transactions twice in the span of a week, which was the first time the network hit this milestone since February 2024.
Avalanche transactions topped the mark on June 1 and again on Saturday. Total transactions for the week beginning June 2 reached 5.8 million, the highest weekly total since early 2024, according to data from blockchain analytics platform Nansen.
The spike in activity was largely driven by MapleStory Universe, Avalanche noted on X. MapleStory Universe is a Web3 gaming ecosystem built on Avalanche. Its first game, MapleStory N, launched on May 15.
Before the side-scrolling online role-playing game landed on Avalanche, the blockchain’s daily transactions rarely topped 500,000 in 2025.
MapleStory became a cultural phenomenon among gamers in the 2000s and early 2010s. It served as a proto-metaverse for socializing, making friends and even forming romantic relationships.
Related: AI solidifying role in Web3, challenging DeFi and gaming: DappRadar
Its original Web3 version was one of the early examples of virtual economies, in-game currencies, tradable items and user-driven content — elements that blockchain technology now aims to enhance. The franchise remains deeply nostalgic for millennials across South Korea and Southeast Asia.
Veteran game developer Nexon is in Avalanche
Excitement around MapleStory Universe has also been buoyed by its developer, Nexon, a Tokyo-listed South Korean gaming giant and the world’s 21st-largest publicly listed corporate Bitcoin (BTC) holder, according to data aggregated by BitcoinTreasuries.NET.
As of Monday, it holds 1,717 BTC, acquired in April 2021 and held since.
Related: Metaplanet shares jump after $5.4B plan to buy Bitcoin
MapleStory’s launch also introduced the developer’s Nexpace Coin (NXPC), the primary currency of the MapleStory Universe.
Despite early buzz, NXPC has struggled to maintain its momentum. After reaching an all-time high of $3.77 shortly after launch, it has since fallen 64% to $1.34 at the time of writing.
Avalanche gaining momentum as gaming blockchain
Avalanche has been gaining traction in Web3 gaming since late 2024. Its momentum was fueled by the launch of Off The Grid, a shooter built on its GUNZ subnet, which marked a shift toward attracting mainstream gamers, not just crypto natives.
That narrative also applies to its native Avalanche (AVAX) token.
On May 14, the day before MapleStory N launched, AVAX was trading as high as $26. It has since declined to $20, far below its yearly high of $54 reached in December.
Magazine: Can Off the Grid survive Steam’s crypto ban? Rage over Maplestory cheaters: Web3 Gamer
Be the first to comment