BNB is the ‘most overlooked blue-chip,’ CEA Industries CEO says as token hits ATH

BNB’s recent surge to a new all-time high above $1,300 is not an “unexpected upshot or rare peak,” rather it shows the network’s credibility, according to David Namdar, CEO of Nasdaq-listed CEA Industries, which has also become the world’s largest BNB Treasury.

In a recent interview with Cointelegraph, Namdar called BNB (BNB) “the most overlooked blue-chip in the market,” arguing that the rally reflects years of underappreciated fundamentals finally breaking through.

“The market is waking up to the credibility, scale, and utility of the BNB ecosystem,” he said, pointing out the chain’s rising throughput, active users and steady DeFi and gaming traction.

According to data from DefiLlama, BNB Smart Chain (BSC)’s total value locked (TVL) currently stands at $8.66 billion, making it the third-largest blockchain. Over the past day, the network had 2.52 million active users, with over 20.7 million transactions.

BSC’s TVL hits $8.6 billion. Source: DefiLlama

Namdar said this is a sign that the “scale + utility” thesis is working. “BNB Chain activity and fees have been trending up, with Messari and BNB Chain’s own updates showing heavy usage across BSC and opBNB alongside consistent product innovation and ecosystem delivery,” he added.

Related: BNB Chain memecoins mint new millionaires in wild trading week

BNB’s internal strength remains the main driver

Namdar noted that macro tailwinds like renewed liquidity and ETF inflows positively impacted BNB’s recent ride, but insisted the token’s internal strength remains the real driver. “I’d attribute a material portion to macro flows,” he said, “but an outsized portion to ecosystem strength unique to BNB (PancakeSwap volumes, opBNB DAUs, broader app mix).”

BNB is also benefiting from Binance’s growing footprint. The exchange’s global network now spans infrastructure, wallets, payments and Web3 applications. Its expansion through new regulatory licenses and local partnerships across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia has also bolstered investor confidence.

Last week, Japan’s PayPay, backed by SoftBank, acquired a 40% stake in the Japanese subsidiary of Binance, with Binance Japan becoming an equity-method affiliate of PayPay as of September 2025.

CEA Industries, listed on Nasdaq as BNC, operates what it calls the world’s largest corporate BNB treasury. Last week, the company announced holdings of 480,000 BNB tokens, with total crypto and cash holdings reaching $663 million.

Related: BNB flips XRP as the third-largest crypto asset by market cap

“BNB meme season” draws traders

Last week, the BNB Chain also saw a surge in memecoin trading activity, with Binance founder Changpeng Zhao referring to the trend as “BNB meme szn.”

BNB meme sason. Source: Changpeng Zhao

Marwan Kawadri, BNB Chain’s DeFi lead, said the network is evolving into “the heartbeat of onchain trading,” as it records new highs in active users and decentralized exchange volumes.

According to Bubblemaps, over 100,000 onchain traders recently joined the BNB memecoin wave, with about 70% in profit. Some made significant gains, with one trader earning over $10 million, while hundreds cleared six-figure profits.

Magazine: Hong Kong isn’t the loophole Chinese crypto firms think it is