Chainlink Surges to New High Amid Institutional Push

Chainlink's LINK token has continued its months-long recovery, reaching a fresh 2026 high of $14.89 by September 28 as the number of non-empty wallets slipped lower.

The rally, which took LINK from below $7 in June to over $15, came alongside the launch of CCIP 2.0 and a sharp expansion in trading volume.

The decline in non-empty wallets is modest relative to the broader trend, with the total holder base remaining near historic highs.

Chainlink's protocol upgrade, CCIP 2.0, introduces features aimed at regulated institutions and tokenized asset issuers, including Cross-Chain Verifiers, configurable settlement speeds, built-in compliance tools, and customizable fee structures.