The DAO Dissolves—ApeCo Takes Over
ApeCoin has just gone through one of the biggest structural changes in its short history. In mid-2025, the ApeCoin DAO community voted to dissolve itself and hand over control to a new centralized entity called ApeCo. The proposal, known as AIP-596, passed with an astonishing 99.66% approval rate—a clear signal that token holders were ready for change.
What does this actually mean? Under the old DAO model, decisions were made through broad community votes. Anyone holding APE tokens could weigh in on proposals, funding requests, and ecosystem direction. It was decentralized in theory, but in practice, it became slow, messy, and inefficient. Important decisions dragged on for months. Projects stalled. The community was tired of it.
ApeCo is different. It’s a leadership-driven organization with defined roles and clear accountability. Instead of voting on every little thing, ApeCo will make operational decisions and focus resources on three core pillars: ApeChain, Bored Ape Yacht Club, and Otherside. The goal is speed, execution, and results. Whether that translates into token value is the question traders are asking right now.
Where APE Stands Today—Technical Picture Looks Rough
Right now, APE is trading around $0.18 on major exchanges like Binance. That’s roughly 10% to 15% below recent resistance zones, and the technicals aren’t exactly screaming “buy.”
On the 4-hour chart, the Relative Strength Index sits at about 24.5—deep in oversold territory. Usually, an RSI below 30 suggests selling has been overdone and a bounce might be coming. But there’s a catch: the MACD is still bearish. The MACD line is below its signal line, and the histogram is negative, meaning momentum is still pointing down.
Both the Simple Moving Average and Exponential Moving Average on the 4-hour timeframe are hovering around $0.1784, well above the current price. That’s not a good sign—it means APE is trading beneath a technical ceiling, and any rally will have to fight through overhead resistance.
Looking at daily pivot points, the pivot sits near $0.1634, with first resistance at $0.1674 and first support at $0.1580. If APE breaks below that support level, the next floor is around $0.1540, and after that, $0.1486. Those are the zones bears will be eyeing if selling pressure continues.
Bearish Case: More Pain Ahead
If buyers can’t step in soon, APE could slide further. A drop below $0.158 would likely trigger stop-losses and open the door to the $0.14–$0.15 range. Volume will be the deciding factor here. If selling volume picks up and buying stays weak, this downtrend could stretch out longer than expected.
Bullish Case: Oversold Bounce in the Cards
On the flip side, APE is extremely oversold. Historically, RSI levels this low often precede short-term bounces. If a reversal kicks in, the first target is around $0.1674, followed by a retest of $0.178–$0.180. A strong move above those levels—especially if accompanied by a bullish MACD crossover—could shift sentiment from bearish to neutral or even cautiously bullish. But that won’t happen without conviction from buyers and a surge in trading volume.
What ApeCo Could Mean for Long-Term Value
Short-term price action aside, the real story here is whether ApeCo can deliver. The DAO model was criticized for being too decentralized to be functional. Decisions took forever, and there was little accountability. ApeCo promises the opposite: faster execution, clearer priorities, and professional management.
If ApeCo can deliver on ApeChain development, revitalize interest in BAYC, and push forward meaningful updates to Otherside, investor confidence could return. That would likely stabilize APE’s price and create a foundation for longer-term growth. On the other hand, centralizing power comes with risks. Some in the community aren’t thrilled about losing their vote. And if ApeCo fails to execute—or worse, mismanages resources—sentiment could sour quickly.
Looking ahead, APE will likely trade in a range between $0.15 and $0.17 over the next few weeks unless something shifts. In a bullish scenario, with broader crypto market momentum and positive ApeCo news, we could see tests of $0.18 to $0.20. In a bearish scenario, a slip toward $0.14 or lower isn’t out of the question.
For traders, the strategy depends on risk tolerance. Conservative players should wait for confirmation—watch for RSI climbing back above 30, a bullish MACD crossover, and price closing above $0.178 before jumping in. Aggressive traders might look to short rallies near resistance or scalp bounces, but position sizing should stay small given the uncertainty and volatility.
Bottom line: ApeCoin is at a crossroads. The governance overhaul could be exactly what the ecosystem needed, or it could fall flat if execution doesn’t match expectations. Right now, the chart says caution. The fundamentals say wait and see. And the market? It’s holding its breath.
