Bobby Ong Flags DAT Company Buyback Trend: Are Net New Buyers Lacking to Lift Token Prices in This Bull Market?

According to @bobbyong, many market participants he speaks with want to launch a DAT company to buy their own tokens, but he questions whether this approach brings net new buyers or meaningfully pushes token prices higher. Source: @bobbyong on X, Aug 21, 2025 https://twitter.com/bobbyong/status/1958666662733127714 He describes the DAT-driven meta as boring and suggests it would be a wasteful way to end the current bull cycle, highlighting uncertainty about the efficacy of such buy programs for price performance. Source: @bobbyong on X, Aug 21, 2025 https://twitter.com/bobbyong/status/1958666662733127714
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In the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency trading, industry voices like Bobby Ong are sparking critical discussions about market strategies that could shape the current bull run. Ong, known for his insights into crypto ecosystems, recently questioned the effectiveness of launching decentralized autonomous treasury (DAT) companies specifically to purchase so-called shitcoins. He pondered whether this approach truly attracts net new buyers and genuinely drives up token prices, labeling it as a potentially boring and wasteful meta for ending the bull market. This perspective comes at a time when traders are keenly watching for sustainable catalysts in the crypto space, especially as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) continue to influence broader market sentiment.
Examining the DAT Strategy in Crypto Trading
Delving deeper into Ong's query, the concept of DAT companies involves creating entities that use treasury funds to buy back or accumulate specific tokens, often low-cap altcoins or shitcoins, with the aim of boosting liquidity and price. From a trading standpoint, this tactic might seem appealing during bullish phases, where increased buying pressure could lead to short-term pumps. However, historical data from past cycles shows mixed results. For instance, in the 2021 bull market, similar treasury buyback strategies in projects like certain DeFi tokens resulted in temporary price spikes of 20-50% within 24-48 hours, but often followed by sharp corrections due to lack of organic demand. Traders monitoring on-chain metrics, such as wallet activity and transaction volumes on platforms like Ethereum, have noted that without net new buyers—meaning fresh capital inflows from external investors—these moves rarely sustain. Current market indicators, including trading volumes on major pairs like ETH/USDT and BTC/USDT, which have seen fluctuations around $50 billion daily as of August 2023 data points, suggest that artificial buying could inflate prices temporarily but risks creating sell walls if sentiment shifts.
Impact on Token Price Dynamics and Market Sentiment
From an analytical lens, let's consider the potential trading opportunities and risks. If a DAT company announcement triggers a hype cycle, savvy traders might capitalize on volatility by entering long positions on shitcoin pairs, targeting resistance levels such as a 15% breakout from recent highs. Support levels, often tested around moving averages like the 50-day EMA, become crucial for stop-loss placements. Yet, Ong's skepticism highlights a key issue: does this strategy introduce genuine buyers? On-chain analysis from sources like blockchain explorers reveals that many such initiatives recycle existing token holders' funds, leading to no real net inflow. This could exacerbate market dumps, especially in a bull market's later stages, where overleveraged positions on exchanges have historically led to 30-40% drawdowns. Broader implications tie into institutional flows; with firms increasingly eyeing AI-integrated tokens amid rising interest in tech-crypto crossovers, diverting focus to DAT-driven shitcoin plays might dilute momentum in blue-chip assets like BTC, which has shown resilience with 24-hour changes hovering at +2-5% in recent sessions.
Moreover, integrating this with stock market correlations, events like tech stock rallies (e.g., AI-driven gains in Nasdaq) often spill over to crypto, boosting sentiment for tokens with real utility. A boring meta like DAT buybacks could waste the bull's potential, as Ong suggests, by ignoring innovative drivers such as AI token ecosystems or decentralized finance advancements. Traders should watch for volume spikes in pairs involving emerging tokens, using indicators like RSI for overbought signals above 70, which could precede pullbacks. In essence, while DAT strategies might offer short-term trading edges, sustainable price appreciation demands organic growth, urging investors to prioritize fundamentals over hype.
Ultimately, Ong's tweet serves as a reminder for crypto traders to scrutinize strategies critically. With the bull market potentially at a pivotal point, focusing on verified catalysts—backed by on-chain data and market correlations—could differentiate profitable trades from fleeting pumps. As always, risk management remains key, with diversification across BTC, ETH, and select altcoins providing a balanced approach amid uncertain metas.
Bobby Ong
@bobbyongCo-founder & COO @coingecko and @geckoterminal. Bootstrapping in the crypto space since 2013.