Solana bot platform Axiom takes over AI coder Cursor with $150m revenue fuelled by airdrop hype

Solana bot platform Axiom takes over AI coder Cursor with $150m revenue fuelled by airdrop hype
DeFi
Credit: Darren Joseph
  • Trading bots have proven to be extremely profitable.
  • Axiom is the top trading bot on Solana.
  • It has become one of the top fee generating platforms in crypto.

Buzzy startup Axiom has emerged as Solana’s top trading bot platform, raking in over $150 million in fees since its launch in February.

The platform now accounts for 72% of all Solana bot trading volume, up from just 2% in early February, according to a Dune dashboard. That explosive growth has helped Axiom break into the top 10 protocols by daily fees, earning around $1.75 million on July 7 alone, per DefiLlama data.

Axiom connects users to Solana-based platforms like Pump.fun and supports trading on Hyperliquid’s perpetual futures exchange.

The crypto startup has become the fastest company in Y Combinator’s history to generate $100 million in revenue. Y Combinator, the Silicon Valley accelerator behind companies such as Airbnb and Stripe, is known for backing early-stage start-ups with high growth potential.

Axiom’s rise outpaces the previous record-holder, Cursor, an AI coder tool that reached the same revenue milestone in 12 months. Cursor, launched in 2023, has become popular among coders who use AI to “vibe code.”

About 650,000 wallets have interacted with the platform, accounting for over $15 billion in volume.

Bots such as BullX and Photon were strong competition at the start, with those two fighting for the top spot by volume in the beginning of the year.

BullX has earned about $200 million since its launch in April 2024 while Photon has earned over $400 million since its launch in January 2024. But their volumes and fees have dropped significantly from the highs.

Unlike many crypto start-ups that rely heavily on social media hype to drive adoption, Axiom has maintained an unusually low profile on X, posting only sporadically to announce new features.

Despite the lack of a major marketing push, the platform has succeeded in attracting a large user base through a mix of incentives, including fee rebates, referral rewards, and early access perks.

Axiom features customisable watchlists, a wallet and Twitter tracker, and a yield tool powered by lending platform MarginFi.

Axiom airdrop

Axiom currently charges each user 0.75% to 1% of the volume for each trade. However, some of this can be offset by rewards and points.

Traders earn a portion of their fees back in Solana, with rebates increasing based on trading volume. The platform also offers referral rewards, paying users both for each sign-up and a cut of the referred trader’s ongoing volume.

Axiom has also employed a points system, which “makes you eligible for additional benefits, including future airdrops,” according to its official documentation. Users can earn points through the amount of volume traded along with the referrals given out.

The points system and expectation of a future airdrop often lead crypto users onto the platform in hopes of a large future reward.

Zachary Rampone is a DeFi correspondent at DL News. Have a tip? Contact him at zrampone@dlnews.com.

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