AI Tokens Shed 75% in a Year, Wiping Out $53B in Market Value: Report

After a breakout rally across 2023 and much of 2024, artificial intelligence–focused crypto tokens have swung sharply in the opposite direction.

A new report shows the sector has entered a deep correction, erasing tens of billions of dollars in value as investor appetite cooled and market conditions tightened.

Data compiled by CryptoPresales.com shows AI tokens have lost roughly 75% of their combined value year over year, wiping out an estimated $53 billion from the market.

AI Token Selloff Accelerates as Year-End Losses Mount

The decline marks a reversal from the explosive gains seen during the height of the AI trade, when enthusiasm around machine learning, data infrastructure and blockchain-based compute solutions drove rapid inflows.

The selloff intensified toward the end of the year. December alone accounted for nearly $10 billion in losses, capping a volatile period that saw sentiment deteriorate just weeks before year-end.

At the time of writing, the combined market capitalization of AI and big data tokens stood at $16.8 billion, down sharply from levels seen a year earlier.

The sector’s rise and fall over the past two years has been dramatic. After reaching an all-time high of $44.9 billion in early 2024, AI tokens saw their market cap cut nearly in half by mid-August.

That decline coincided with expanded US export restrictions on AI chips to China, rising geopolitical tensions and widespread profit-taking.

in classic crypto fashion the market went nuts on vaporware AI tokens only to go bearish right as the real tech comes online

onchain economy = agentic economy https://t.co/jdoZXJ58za

— Stephen (@meta_hess) December 18, 2025

A rebound followed in the second half of 2024, driven by renewed interest in AI-powered blockchain applications and utility-focused projects.

By the end of last year, the sector’s market cap had surged 157% to $55.5 billion, following a staggering 1,873% jump in 2023.

That momentum did not carry into 2025. As the hype faded, traders began rotating out of smaller and higher-risk tokens.

Thinner liquidity and a steady stream of new token launches added to selling pressure, leaving AI and big data projects particularly vulnerable during broader market pullbacks.

CoinMarketCap data shows the sector lost 63% of its value, or about $44 billion, by April. While the second and third quarters brought a modest recovery, prices never returned to prior highs.

AI Token Losses Deepen in Q4 with $14B Wiped Out

Losses accelerated again in the fourth quarter amid a wider crypto market downturn. The AI token market shed roughly $4 billion in November, followed by a much steeper $10 billion drop in December.

The damage was widespread among leading projects. Eight of the ten largest AI and big data tokens by market capitalization posted losses exceeding 70% over the past year.

Artificial Superintelligence Alliance fell 84%, while Render and The Graph each dropped 82%.

Even last year’s standout performer, Virtuals Protocol, which surged more than 3,500% in 2024, has since given back 73%, alongside sharp declines in Injective, Filecoin, Internet Computer and NEAR Protocol.