$ESP
As of February 12, 2026, the "ESP" token is in the spotlight following the major launch of Espresso (ESP). This project has effectively redefined what traders are looking for when they search for the ESP ticker.
1. Market Status & Launch
Espresso officially held its Token Generation Event (TGE) and exchange listings today, February 12, 2026.
Major Listings: The token debuted simultaneously on Binance (with a "Seed Tag"), KuCoin, BitMart, and BingX.
Initial Pricing: Following the listing at 13:00 UTC, the price has been volatile, surging past $0.085 USDT in early trading.
Airdrop: The project distributed 10% of the total supply (roughly 359 million tokens) to over 1 million eligible addresses, rewarding users of integrated chains like Arbitrum, Polygon, and Celo.
2. Fundamental Utility (The "Nervous System"
Espresso isn't just another coin;
it is infrastructure. It acts as a shared sequencing layer for Ethereum Layer 2s.
Staking: Validators stake ESP to participate in the "HotShot" consensus, which provides fast finality (approx. 2 seconds).
Interoperability:
It allows different blockchains (like ApeChain and Celo) to communicate and share liquidity without the usual 12-minute wait for Ethereum L1 finality.
Revenue:
ESP is used to pay network fees for data processing within the ecosystem.
3. Risks & Considerations
Seed Tag Warning:
Binance has applied a "Seed Tag" to ESP, signaling that it is an innovative but high-risk, high-volatility project.
Supply Dynamics:
The initial total supply is 3.59 billion ESP. While the community airdrop is fully unlocked, a large portion (approx. 41%) belongs to contributors and investors with a 1-year cliff, meaning no major "VC dumping" is expected immediately.
The "Holder Score" Effect: Unlike older projects, Espresso used a "reputation score" for its airdrop. This was designed to filter out "mercenary" farmers and reward long-term holders, which could lead to less immediate sell-pressure than typical launches.