Most people overlook a key reality in crypto markets: tons of altcoins could quietly climb to billion-dollar valuations without raising an eyebrow in mainstream press. But the moment a smaller project breaks through even $100 million in market cap, that's when things change. The media attention becomes absolutely intense—nothing like what most are prepared for.

This disconnect reveals how the mainstream narrative works. When it's obscure coins in the crypto circle, silence reigns. When it's a breakout that crosses certain thresholds? That's when headlines, coverage, and mainstream scrutiny flood in simultaneously. The jump from invisible to unavoidable happens fast, and it reshapes everything about how a project gets perceived by the outside world.