Starknet’s STRK token surges 15% as Shinobi upgrade boosts momentum

Starknet’s STRK token has surged 15% over the past 24 hours, driven by a sharp 120% jump in daily trading volume and the successful rollout of the Shinobi upgrade.

The rally to $0.043 comes amid broader market momentum, which also pushed Bitcoin above $79,000 as sentiment improved following news of the US–Iran ceasefire extension.

Starknet price today

Starknet (STRK) recorded a sharp 15% gain to $0.043, reaching intraday highs last seen on February 26, 2026. Investor interest intensified, with daily trading volume rising more than 120% to over $70 million.

The move confirms strong buyer interest following a rebound from mid-April lows of $0.032.

Derivatives data also points to rising participation, with open interest climbing to $46.3 million and futures volume reaching $109 million.

The rally was not isolated to STRK. Bitcoin led gains across the crypto market, aligning with equities as risk sentiment improved after US President Donald Trump announced an extension of the US–Iran ceasefire. While the development has supported prices, uncertainty remains.

On April 22, Bitcoin climbed to around $79,100, with more than $200 million in short positions liquidated over the past 24 hours.

Continued ETF inflows could provide additional upside, though investors are likely to look for a decisive break above $80,000. Further gains in Bitcoin could also support continued upside in STRK and the broader altcoin market.

Shinobi upgrade drives gains

STRK has risen 34% over the past week, supported by the activation of Starknet v0.14.2.

The Shinobi upgrade went live on mainnet on April 21, 2026, introducing SNIP-36 for native STARK proof verification.

This enables private transactions that are indistinguishable from standard ones and lays the groundwork for STRK20, a shielded ERC-20 framework.

The upgrade also introduces strkBTC, the first product built using this framework. It allows Bitcoin holders to access Starknet’s DeFi ecosystem through a privacy-preserving bridge, enabling shielded BTC transactions without exposing full wallet histories.

With these protocol-level enhancements, Starknet is evolving from a high-performance ZK-rollup into a privacy-focused infrastructure layer, a shift that could help attract institutional adoption.

Starknet price forecast

From a technical perspective, STRK is showing bullish momentum, with the price breaking above key short-term moving averages and supported by strong derivatives activity.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is around 68, indicating bullish momentum while still leaving room for further upside before entering overbought territory.

Overall market sentiment remains positive, supported by Bitcoin’s strength and easing geopolitical tensions following the ceasefire extension.

In the near term, bulls are targeting $0.050, with a potential move toward $0.069 if momentum holds. On the downside, a pullback toward the $0.032 support level could occur if trading volume weakens.