The price of the token may increase without trading, but trading is the only way for the token to reach its fair price.
Reasons for 1 token's price increase:
- The project has more strategic partners;
- Token satisfies an additional number of laws;
- The community of the token is expanded through new outreach activities;
- Positive media coverage about the project;
- The project has achieved some achievements: ATM, transaction speed ...;
- Celebrities mention tokens & projects ...
However, if there is absolutely no trading activity, the person who needs to own the token will not be able to buy the token, the person who wants to make profit cannot sell the token, i.e. the community cannot know the value of the token

Thus Trading is the way for tokens to step up to their new prices.
If Trading is the cause for the price increase: it is only a temporary fluctuation.