2024 is coming to an end and the market is ahead cryptocurrencies is preparing for a new chapter in 2025. After a year full of progress and regulatory changes, investors and companies look to the future with optimism and unprecedented opportunity.
Cryptocurrencies, previously considered a passing fadare now consolidating their space as a transformative force in global finance.
With Bitcoin (BTC) in the spotlight, other sectors such as decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and tokenized securities also promise big surprises.
THE VanEckone of the leading global asset managers, has released its predictions for 2025with the company’s analysts predicting a more mature, regulated and integrated market with traditional financial systems, while at the same time new technologies are emerging that will drive the next wave of innovation.
Since historical price records to adoption of cryptocurrencies by major corporations and sovereign statesthese trends promise to shape the future of digital finance.
1. Cryptocurrency Market Peaks in 2025: Bitcoin Breaks a New All-Time High
VanEck analysts predict that the cryptocurrency market will become a… intermediate peak in the first quarter of 2025followed by a recovery at the end of the year.
Bitcoin is expected to reach $180,000 and the Ethereum surpasses $6,000. Other coins such as Solana (SOL) and Sui (SUI) can go up to $500 and $10 respectively.
This cycle must be a correction of up to 30% in the price of Bitcoinwhile altcoins can drop up to 60%.
Indicators such as funding rates above 10% for long periods, unrealized profits above 70% and a drop in Bitcoin dominance below 40% will warning signs of an overheated market.
2. Adoption of Bitcoin as a reserve
With the Trump administration taking key pro-crypto positions, a wider adoption of Bitcoin in the USincluding state and federal strategic reserves.
Appointments such as JD Vance as vice president and Paul Atkins as SEC chairman indicate a more favorable environment for the regulation and integration of digital assets.
Furthermore, states like Texas and Florida can create Bitcoin reserves to attract businesses and investments.
In the private sector the The number of listed companies with Bitcoin on their balance sheets could increase from 68 to 100collecting over 1.1 million BTC, surpassing even Satoshi Nakamoto’s assets.
“We expect that by 2025, the federal government or at least one US state – likely Pennsylvania, Florida or Texas – will establish a Bitcoin reserve.”says VanEck
“This will most likely be done through an executive order utilizing the Treasury Department’s Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF). At the same time, state governments can act independently and see Bitcoin as a hedge against fiscal uncertainty or as a tool to attract investment and innovation in cryptocurrencies.”
As for mining, the manager says, the number of countries mining Bitcoin with public funds should increase two digits (currently seven) as BRICS adoption grows.
This trend is fueled by Russia’s stated intention to regulate international trade in cryptocurrencies, underscoring Bitcoin’s growing importance in global economic strategies.
VanEck also believes that this pro-Bitcoin stance will spread across the broader US ecosystem, with US-based Bitcoin mining flourishing.
“The U.S. share of the global mining hash rate will rise from 28% in 2024 to 35% by the end of 2025, driven by cheap energy and potentially favorable tax policies. Together, these trends will strengthen the United States’ leadership in the global Bitcoin economy.”
3. Tokenized securities exceed $50 billion
Security tokenization is expected to explode in 2025with a total value of more than 50 billion dollars. This market is currently valued at approximately $12 billion, the majority of which is private credit securities tokenized on the Provenance blockchain.
The integration of public and private networks, along with clearer regulations, could drive the tokenization of equities and debt securities.
For example, companies like Coinbase are expected to tokenize their shares for direct trading on the BASE blockchain.
4. Stablecoins dominate daily transfers
Stablecoins are expected to reach a daily settlement volume of $300 billiona significant increase from the $100 billion recorded in November 2024.
Such progress will be driven by adoption by companies like Apple and Googlein addition to payment networks such as Visa and Mastercard.
In remittance markets, transfers between the US and Mexico could increase fivefold, from $80 million to $400 million per month. The efficiency, speed and lower costs of stablecoins are expected to consolidate their central role in global finance.
5. AI agents exceed 1 million units
The expectation is that the market for AI agents on the blockchain are growing exponentiallywith more than 1 million active agents by the end of 2025.
These agents automate complex tasksfrom maximizing DeFi returns to managing social media engagement.
Platforms such as Virtual they already provide tools for creating personalized AI agents, democratizing access to technology. Sectors such as gaming, social media and financial services are expected to be transformed by this innovation.
6. Extension of the second layer (Layer-2) of Bitcoin
Bitcoin Second Layer (L2) solutions must reach 100,000 BTC in total blocked value (TVL), reflecting a 600% growth compared to 2024.
These solutions improve the scalability, security and functionality of Bitcoin by adding smart contracts and enabling faster transactions.
Projects like Ika and Infinex should lead this integrationallowing Bitcoin to play a more active role in the DeFi ecosystem. This development will reduce dependence on centralized solutions and increase decentralization of the network.
7. Ethereum blob space generates $1 billion in fees
The integration of L2 networks into the Ethereum blob space could generate more than $1 billion in fees by the end of 2025.
The space of blobs store compressed transactions from L2s, increasing the efficiency and scalability of the Ethereum network.
With the adoption of end-to-end solutions and increased business usage, the demand for blob space is expected to skyrocket.
This will strengthen Ethereum’s role as the ultimate settlement layer for decentralized applications while increasing fee revenue.
8. DeFi surpasses $4 trillion in DEX volumes
Decentralized finance is expected to reach $4 trillion in volume in decentralized exchanges (DEX) and $200 billion in total value (TVL).
Growth will be driven by the rise of tokenized assets and AI tokens, as well as new financial applications and consumers.
The continued development of DeFi products such as credit and staking protocols will strengthen its role in the global financial world. Competition between platforms will increase innovation, benefiting users and investors.
9. Recovery of the NFT market
After a sharp decline between 2022 and 2024, the The NFT market is expected to recover, reached a trading volume of $30 billion.
Iconic projects like Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks are expected to lead this recovery, thanks to their cultural relevance and strategic partnerships.
Furthermore, new collections and practical applications are expected to attract a new wave of investors, transforming NFTs into assets of lasting cultural value.
10. Decentralized application tokens are gaining ground
Finally, decentralized application tokens (dApps) should close the performance gap compared to L1 network tokens. Innovation in artificial intelligence, decentralized finance and decentralized physical networks (DePIN) will drive this growth.
New launches and greater adoption of dApps will strengthen their tokens and provide more balanced returns based on value-in-use, not just speculation.
With these developments in sight, 2025 promises to be one of the best years for the cryptocurrency market, consolidating its position as a central pillar of the global digital economy.
You can read VanEck’s full report here.
Source: Live Coins
Barry Siefert is an accomplished journalist and author at The Nation View. He is known for his expertise in the field of cryptocurrency, and has written extensively on the topic. With a background in finance and economics, Barry has a deep understanding of the underlying technology and market forces that drive the crypto industry.
