TVL momentum is one of the fastest ways to notice a protocol moving from ignored to discussed. It is also one of the easiest metrics to misuse. A single sharp change can look important while saying very little about durability.
Use multiple windows at the same time
Day-over-day movement is useful for attention. Week-over-week movement is better for follow-through. Month-over-month movement helps you see whether the protocol is building a real curve or simply reacting to one event. Radar keeps these windows side by side because trend quality is usually visible in the relationship between them.
Small bases can distort perception
Very small protocols can print dramatic percentages with almost no capital behind them. That does not make the move fake, but it does mean you should not treat every double-digit percentage change as equally meaningful. A move from tiny to small is different from a move from relevant to dominant.
Category context matters
Momentum in an active category can signal rotation. Momentum in an abandoned category can be far less useful. That is why the same percentage change looks different depending on whether the protocol lives inside a strong theme like derivatives, AI, RWA, or launch infrastructure.
Trend quality is a filter, not a buy signal
Trending boards are best used to rank what deserves more reading. If the protocol has poor metadata, no consistent chain story, or no credible way to explain the move, the number should not force the thesis. Let momentum open the door, then let process decide whether you walk through it.
