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Trending Tab Strategy: How Tokens Get Into the Top 6 and Dominate on Ape.Store

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by

ape
in

Table of Contents

  • Introduction: The Discovery Problem in Token Launchpads
  • Understanding Ape.Store’s Trending Tab Algorithm
  • The Three Core Metrics for Trending Ranking
  • Volume as the Primary Ranking Factor
  • Liquidity Depth and Its Hidden Impact on Trending
  • Momentum and Price Action in Trending Calculations
  • Strategies to Get Your Token Into Top 6
  • Phase 1: Launch Day Strategy
  • Phase 2: Sustained Growth Strategy
  • Phase 3: Breakout and Dominance Strategy
  • Real-Time Monitoring and Trending Position Tracking
  • Common Mistakes That Keep Tokens Off Trending
  • Case Study: Token Launch to Top 3 Trending
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
  • Conclusion: Trending Tab as Primary Growth Engine

Introduction: The Discovery Problem in Token Launchpads

On Ape.Store, thousands of tokens launch daily. But only a handful get discovered

The bottleneck: Discovery.

Most traders never see 99% of new tokens. They only see tokens that appear on the trending tab—top 6 positions that get algorithmic visibility

Getting into top 6 trending doesn’t just give visibility. It triggers a positive feedback loop:

More visibility → More traders see it → More volume → Higher ranking → Even more visibility → Exponential growth

This guide shows exactly how the trending algorithm works and the tactical strategies to get your token to top 6

What Is the Trending Tab?

The trending tab is Ape.Store’s discovery mechanism—a real-time ranked list of the hottest tokens based on algorithmic scoring

Top 6 positions receive massive visibility:

  • Featured at top of app
  • Algorithmic boost in searches
  • Community attention (everyone watches trending)
  • FOMO buying pressure

Getting to top 6 = exponential visibility advantage

How the Algorithm Works

Modern launchpad trending algorithms rank tokens using three primary metrics:

  1. Trading Volume (50-60% weighting)
  2. Liquidity Depth (20-30% weighting)
  3. Price Momentum (10-20% weighting)

These are weighted into a single “Trending Score”

The formula (approximate):

Trending Score = (Volume × 0.55) + (Liquidity × 0.25) + (Momentum × 0.20)

Tokens with highest scores rank top 6

1. Trading Volume (The Heavy Weight)

Volume is 50-60% of the trending score

Why volume matters:

  • Proves real trading activity (not bots)
  • Indicates genuine interest
  • Sustains token longer-term

How it’s measured:

  • Total $ traded in last 24 hours
  • Or: Total trades executed in last hour
  • Or: Combined buy/sell volume

Example volume weights:

Token A: $100k volume (low) = Score 100
Token B: $500k volume (medium) = Score 250
Token C: $2M volume (high) = Score 1,000
Token D: $10M volume (very high) = Score 5,000

Result: Token D ranks much higher

2. Liquidity Depth (The Stabilizer)

Liquidity is 20-30% of the trending score

Why liquidity matters:

  • Indicates sustainable trading (not pump-and-dump)
  • Allows large orders without massive slippage
  • Attracts institutional traders

How it’s measured:

  • Total $ in order book (depth)
  • Or: Combined liquidity pool size
  • Or: Ability to execute $100k trade with <5% slippage

Example liquidity weights:

Token A: $50k depth (very shallow) = Score 50
Token B: $500k depth (moderate) = Score 150
Token C: $2M depth (deep) = Score 350
Token D: $10M depth (very deep) = Score 1,000

Result: Token D attracts more traders (easier exits)

3. Price Momentum (The Attention Factor)

Momentum is 10-20% of the trending score

Why momentum matters:

  • Shows price moving (exciting traders)
  • Validates other metrics (not suspicious)
  • Triggers FOMO

How it’s measured:

  • Price change in last hour (%)
  • Or: Price change in last 24 hours (%)
  • Or: Rate of price increase (slope)

Example momentum weights:

Token A: +5% in 1 hour = Score 100
Token B: +15% in 1 hour = Score 150
Token C: +30% in 1 hour = Score 250
Token D: +50% in 1 hour = Score 400

Result: Tokens showing strong momentum rank higher

Volume as the Primary Ranking Factor

Why Volume Dominates

Volume is 50-60% of trending score because it’s the hardest metric to fake

  • Volume = real money trading (cannot be faked without major expense)
  • Liquidity = capital deployed (requires actual ETH/USDC)
  • Momentum = outcome of both (not independent metric)

If you want trending: Focus 70% of effort on volume

The Volume Sources

Where does volume come from?

  1. Referral-driven buying (community purchases via leaderboard)
  2. Social FOMO buying (Twitter/Discord hype)
  3. Whale accumulation (smart money entering)
  4. Bot trading (algorithmic buy/sell)
  5. Early traders profit-taking (first movers exiting partially)

[Ape.Store’s referral leaderboard system is designed to generate sustained #1 (referral-driven) volume.]

The Liquidity Paradox

High volume REQUIRES high liquidity to sustain

Without liquidity, high volume = high slippage = traders get bad execution = volume dries up

Example:

Token with $1M volume but only $100k liquidity:

$10k buy order = 10% slippage (bad execution)
Trader gets angry, doesn’t trade again

Token with $1M volume AND $1M liquidity:

$10k buy order = 1% slippage (good execution)
Trader satisfied, comes back

Result: High liquidity attracts MORE volume (virtuous cycle)

How to Provide Liquidity

On Ape.Store, liquidity comes from:

  1. Bonding curve (algorithmic, auto-generated)
  2. V3 liquidity pool (creator-provided)
  3. Community-provided (holders add to LP pool)

Each method affects trending differently:

Bonding curve: Auto-increases liquidity as price rises (sustainable)

V3 LP: Creator controls depth (variable)

Community LP: Distributed liquidity (most robust)

Momentum vs Hype

Momentum = sustained price growth with volume confirmation

Hype = spike then crash (no volume confirmation)

Trending algorithm rewards #1 (momentum), punishes #2 (hype)

The 4-Hour Momentum Window

Most trending algorithms calculate momentum over:

  • Last 1 hour (short-term traders)
  • Last 4 hours (medium-term traders)
  • Last 24 hours (long-term investors)

Best strategy: Optimize for 4-hour momentum

Why? 4 hours is:

  • Long enough to show sustainability
  • Short enough to catch real-time movers
  • Default window most platforms use

Strategies to Get Your Token Into Top 6

The Three-Phase Approach

Phase 1: Launch Day (Hours 0-4)

  • Goal: Generate initial volume spike
  • Methods: Referral incentives, community shilling
  • Target: Get into top 20

Phase 2: Sustained Growth (Hours 4-24)

  • Goal: Maintain volume and deepen liquidity
  • Methods: Continued referrals, strategic marketing
  • Target: Break into top 10, then top 6

Phase 3: Dominance (Day 2+)

  • Goal: Hold top 6 position
  • Methods: Community engagement, governance participation
  • Target: Stay in top 6 for 7+ days

Phase 1: Launch Day Strategy

Hour 0-2: The Critical Window

Goal: Generate immediate volume to catch algorithmic attention

Tactics:

  1. Referral System Launch
    [Activate your referral leaderboard immediately.]
    Offer referral bonuses (if allowed)
    First referrers get highest rewards
  2. Community Shilling
    Release prepared Twitter thread
    Post in 5-10 Discord communities
    Share in Telegram groups
    Call to action: “Buy on Ape.Store”
  3. Whale Seeding (Optional)
    Contact 2-3 known whale wallets
    Offer them $5-10k tokens at discount
    Ask them to make first large buys
    Creates initial momentum
  4. Bot Trading (Controversial but effective)
    Some projects seed initial volume with bots
    Creates appearance of activity
    Algorithm notices volume spike
    Real traders FOMO in

Result: If successful, top 20-30 position by hour 2

Hour 2-4: Breaking Top 10

Goal: Sustain volume growth, deepen liquidity

Tactics:

  1. Wave 2 Shilling
    Second round of social promotion
    Different messaging angle
    Different communities (avoid spamming same places)
  2. Influencer Callouts (if budget allows)
    DM 5-10 crypto influencers with $100 bounty to shill
    Most will take free tokens + small bounty
  3. Reddit/4Chan Seeding
    Post in relevant communities (with disclosure)
    “Found this new token, what do you think?”
    Let community discovery drive interest
  4. Real-Time Trending Monitoring
    Watch your trending position every 30 minutes
    If momentum slowing, activate next wave
    If momentum strong, let FOMO take over

Result: Top 10 position by hour 4

Phase 2: Sustained Growth Strategy

Hours 4-12: Breaking Top 6

Top 6 is algorithmically harder because competition increases as token climbs

Tactics to break through:

  1. Volume Optimization
    Continue referral incentives
    Increase marketing spend (if profitable)
    Target specific communities (AI traders, memecoin degens, etc)
    Coordinate with top referrers to push harder
  2. Liquidity Deepening
    Add $10k-$50k additional liquidity (if you can afford)
    Or: Call on community to provide LP
    This improves your liquidity score
  3. Momentum Maintenance
    Keep FOMO going
    Share “trending” screenshots
    “We’re almost top 6” messaging
    Creates viral loop
  4. Price Stability
    Avoid dumps (kills momentum)
    Avoid extreme volatility (scares off traders)
    Maintain steady +5-15% hourly growth

Hours 12-24: Holding Top 6

Tactics to maintain position:

  1. Community Engagement
    Respond to traders in Discord
    Answer questions
    Show founder is present (not exit-prepping)
  2. Continued Volume
    By hour 12, organic volume might slow
    Use creator fees to fund continued promotion
    Or: Community/referrers self-promote (they benefit)
  3. Governance Signals (if applicable)
    Announce future governance
    Hint at utility/features
    Creates reason to hold
  4. Trending Leaderboard Positioning
    By hour 24, if you’re top 6, you get 50k+ eyes
    This attracts traders organically
    Momentum becomes self-sustaining

Phase 3: Breakout and Dominance Strategy

Days 2-7: Sustaining Top 6

Once in top 6, focus shifts from getting there to staying there

Tactics:

  1. Organic Volume Maintenance
    Real traders now trading (not just FOMO)
    [Referral network continues generating volume]
    Less marketing needed (algorithm helps)
  2. Community Building
    Build Discord with 500+ members
    Daily community calls
    Community governance votes
    Creates sticky community
  3. Creator Engagement
    Daily updates (even small ones)
    Respond to trader questions
    Show roadmap/future plans
  4. Strategic Partnerships
    Partner with other tokens
    Cross-promote to communities
    Expand reach

Result: Top 6 position for 7+ days = viral success (common pattern for winners)

Key Metrics to Track

Daily tracking (hour by hour):

  • Current trending rank (position in top 20)
  • Trading volume ($ traded in last hour)
  • Liquidity depth ($ in order book)
  • Price trend (% change last hour)
  • Holder count (growing? shrinking?)
  • Community sentiment (Discord vibes)

Tools for Tracking

Ape.Store Native:

  • Built-in trending leaderboard
  • Volume metrics on token page
  • Holder count visible

Third-Party Tools:

  • Dune Analytics: Custom trending dashboards
  • DEXScreener: Real-time price/volume
  • CoinGecko: Trending score tracking

Daily Dashboard Setup

Create simple tracking sheet:

textDate | Hour | Rank | Volume 24h | Liquidity | Price | Holders | Notes
---
Dec 19 | 0 | 45 | $50k | $100k | $0.0001 | 200 | Launch
Dec 19 | 1 | 30 | $120k | $150k | $0.00012 | 300 | Momentum
Dec 19 | 2 | 18 | $300k | $200k | $0.00015 | 450 | Top 20
Dec 19 | 3 | 12 | $500k | $300k | $0.00018 | 600 | Top 15
Dec 19 | 4 | 8 | $700k | $400k | $0.0002 | 800 | Top 10

Tracking reveals patterns

Mistake 1: Launching Without Referral System

Wrong: “I’ll just shill on Twitter”

Right: “I’ll activate referral leaderboard so community promotes for me”

[Referral systems compound volume growth. Twitter shilling is one-time effort.]

Mistake 2: Insufficient Liquidity

Wrong: “I’ll provide $5k liquidity, that’s enough”

Right: “I’ll provide $50k liquidity so traders get good execution”

High slippage = traders avoid = low volume = low trending score

Mistake 3: Momentum Collapse

Wrong: Launch, then ghost

Result: Hour 0-4 momentum dies by hour 12 = ranking collapses

Right: Sustained marketing throughout day 1

Mistake 4: Ignoring Liquidity Depth Score

Wrong: “All that matters is volume”

Right: “Volume + liquidity + momentum together = trending score”

Missing liquidity hurts trending even if volume high

Mistake 5: Expecting Organic Growth Too Early

Wrong: “I’ll launch and organic traders will find me”

Right: “I’ll use paid/referral strategies day 1-2, then organic takes over”

Organic discovery happens AFTER you’re visible (top 6)

Token: $CATALYST (Hypothetical)

Hour 0: Launch

textTrending Rank: N/A (just launched)
Volume: $0
Liquidity: $100k (creator initial)
Price: $0.00001
Holders: 50 (early community)

Creator activates referral leaderboard, releases launch thread

Hour 1: First Wave

textTrending Rank: 87
Volume: $50k (referrals buying)
Liquidity: $100k (unchanged)
Price: $0.000012 (+20%)
Holders: 200

Referral system + Twitter thread working

Hour 2: Building Momentum

textTrending Rank: 45
Volume: $150k (second shilling wave)
Liquidity: $150k (depth increasing)
Price: $0.000015 (+50%)
Holders: 450

FOMO starting. Influencers sharing

Hour 3: Breakout Phase

textTrending Rank: 22
Volume: $400k (organic + referral)
Liquidity: $250k
Price: $0.000022 (+120%)
Holders: 800

Entering top 25. Algorithmic boost starting

Hour 4: Top 10 Achievement

textTrending Rank: 9
Volume: $700k
Liquidity: $350k
Price: $0.000028 (+180%)
Holders: 1,200

Massive visibility from algorithmic ranking

Hour 6: Top 6 Breakthrough

textTrending Rank: 6
Volume: $1.2M (24-hour)
Liquidity: $500k
Price: $0.00004 (+300%)
Holders: 2,000

Top 6 = featured position. New traders discovering

Hour 24: Trending Dominance

textTrending Rank: 3
Volume: $3M (24-hour peak)
Liquidity: $1M
Price: $0.0001 (+900%)
Holders: 5,000

Highest trending position. Self-sustaining growth

What Made This Successful

  1. Referral system launched immediately (volume generation)
  2. Continued marketing waves (sustained momentum)
  3. Sufficient liquidity (enabled trading)
  4. Real trader FOMO (organic growth takes over)
  5. Creator engagement (community trust)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How fast can a token reach top 6?

A: 2-6 hours typically

Depends on:

  • Quality of community
  • Size of referral network
  • Initial liquidity depth
  • Marketing spend

Q: Can a token stay in top 6?

A: Yes, if volume sustained

Most tokens last 3-7 days in top 6 before new tokens push them down

Exceptional tokens with strong community stay 30+ days

Q: What’s the minimum volume for top 6?

A: Depends on competing tokens, but roughly:

$500k-$1M volume (24h) = top 20
$1M-$3M = top 10
$3M-$10M = top 6

Q: Is fake volume helpful?

A: Technically yes, but risky

Pro: Gets algorithmic boost, triggers real volume

Con: If detected, damage to reputation + potential platform ban

Most successful tokens use real volume (referrals + organic)

Q: How does Ape.Store trending differ from Pump.fun?

A: Ape.Store emphasizes sustained liquidity more (weighted heavily in score)

Pump.fun emphasizes rapid volume spikes

[Ape.Store’s trending model favors longer-lasting tokens (referral-driven sustained volume).]

Q: Should I dump my token when I reach top 6?

A: No. Top 6 = highest visibility = peak earning opportunity

Creator fees highest when volume peak (not at launch)

Smart creators milk top 6 position for 7+ days

The Reality

In launchpad ecosystems, trending tab is THE discovery mechanism

Tokens not in trending = invisible
Tokens in top 6 = algorithmic superpower

The Path to Top 6

  1. Launch with referral system (volume generation)
  2. Market consistently (sustained momentum)
  3. Provide deep liquidity (good execution)
  4. Engage your community (creator credibility)
  5. Monitor and optimize (real-time adjustments)

Ape.Store’s Advantage

Ape.Store is designed from ground-up with trending algorithm in mind

Key features:

  • Referral system generates sustained volume
  • V3 fee-split incentivizes deep liquidity
  • Creator engagement ensures community trust

Result: Ape.Store tokens trend longer and stronger than competitors