Happy New Year! 2025 is here and the crypto world is already full of big predictions, massive milestones and interesting market moves. In this week’s digest, we look at how industry titans are sharing innovative foresight that may reshape digital assets. Will Bitcoin break new highs again? Are Stablecoins the future of Global Payments? Here are the bold visions driving the crypto future of 2025.
Top Gainers and Losers of the Week
Here’s a quick look at the week’s top and worst performers:
Top Gainers:
- SPX6900 (SPX) (+35.20%): The token’s explosive growth is driven by increased demand for its unique utility in decentralized protocols, capturing market attention.
- Cardano (ADA) (+12.74%): Cardano’s price jump reflects growing optimism around its scalability solutions and upcoming updates.
- Hedera (HBAR) (+9.77%): Hedera’s consistent innovation and strategic partnerships continue to attract investor interest.
Top Losers:
- FTX Token (FTT) (-9.72%): Ongoing regulatory scrutiny and uncertainty around FTX’s recovery plans have pushed its price down.
- Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL) (-8.46%): Declining market interest in its platform utility has led to a steep drop in value.
- Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) (-7.89%): Despite being a popular NFT project, a lack of new developments has dampened investor enthusiasm.
Note: Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile. Perform thorough research before making any investment decisions.
Norris Wang: Stablecoins to lead a DeFi Renaissance
Norris Wang, co-founder of Balance.fun, thinks the total float of stablecoins will be over $250 billion by the end of 2025. According to Wang, this will be driven by global regulatory pragmatism, stablecoins being seen as hybrid instruments—part cash, part market asset.
Wang expects nuanced policies to allow for yield distribution when reserves match digital money’s risk. He sees tighter regulation for on-shore stablecoins and consumer protection for off-shore ones to prevent “pushing activity into the shadows.”
“DeFi will innovate again when developers feel safe,” Wang said, expecting deeper DeFi fintech integration. He also thinks talent will flow back to the US and New York will become the global crypto hub.
Franklin Templeton’s Bitcoin Prediction: Reserves to Go Global
Gold, move over. Bitcoin is coming for you. Franklin Templeton’s analysts predict by 2025 Bitcoin will become a global reserve asset. Why now? Geopolitical tensions and the need for decentralized financial hedges are pushing nations and institutions towards Bitcoin. Think of it as the “digital gold” narrative becoming unstoppable.
The rise of Bitcoin ETFs has also contributed to this. With institutional investors having easier access, the adoption curve for Bitcoin reserves is accelerating. Analysts say this will stabilize Bitcoin prices and reduce volatility.
In 2025, I believe nations will begin adopting strategic bitcoin reserves like dominos.
— Matt Higgins (@mhiggins) December 24, 2024
Populist move, low political risk.
Assume 15 million $BTC in circulation.
Assume 1 million move into reserves.
6.6% drop in circulating supply.
> 30% increase in price.
Not priced in.
Recent numbers bear this out—Bitcoin in national reserves grew 12% in 2024 alone, a sign of growing trust in its use beyond speculation. This will accelerate even more in 2025 with countries like Brazil and Malaysia looking to add Bitcoin to their reserve diversification.
Bitcoin as a global reserve asset is not just a status symbol—it’s a big deal. If El Salvador is an early adopter, who’s next? Imagine what happens when more economies hedge with Bitcoin: higher adoption, more price stability and a permanent seat at the table.
Cathie Wood: Bitcoin to $1 Million by 2030
Cathie Wood, CEO of ARK Invest, remains steadfast in her prediction that Bitcoin will hit $1 million by 2030. Her argument is simple yet powerful: as institutional adoption grows and Bitcoin’s supply diminishes due to halving cycles, demand will inevitably outstrip supply. She also pointed to Bitcoin’s increasing role as a hedge against inflation and geopolitical instability.
“We’re seeing Bitcoin become a safe haven for investors globally,” Wood said in an interview. She believes the rise of Bitcoin ETFs and the growing distrust of traditional fiat systems are accelerating its mainstream adoption.
Why It Matters: Wood’s forecast is based on market trends. As institutions like Franklin Templeton and MicroStrategy are buying Bitcoin, her vision is the crypto world going global.
Alex Thorn: Bitcoin to $185,000 by 2025
Alex Thorn, Head of Research at Galaxy Digital, is also bullish on Bitcoin in 2025. He thinks Bitcoin will exceed $150,000 in the first half of the year and potentially $185,000 by year-end. Thorn’s analysis cites increasing institutional adoption, macroeconomic instability and the 2024 halving as the drivers of this growth.
Thorn also notes the importance of Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and attracting both retail and institutional investors during times of uncertainty.
Binance’s Big Goal: 250 Million to 1 Billion Users
Binance is off to a big start this year, already exceeding 250 million registered users worldwide. Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, shared the exciting news on social media, expressing his gratitude to the platform's loyal community for helping reach this extraordinary milestone.
What a year! We've hit an incredible milestone of quarter billion users.
— Richard Teng (@_RichardTeng) January 2, 2025
A huge thank you to our amazing community for making this possible. Together, we're one step closer to our vision of onboarding 1 billion users.
Here’s to an even bigger 2025! pic.twitter.com/NAlCSEMFYk
The milestone cements its position as the top crypto exchange and Binance isn’t done yet. Next target? 1 billion users. How will Binance get there? By making it more accessible. The platform’s wide range of services from spot trading to DeFi tools is for everyone from beginners to pros. Add to that its expansion into underserved markets and crypto education and Binance’s growth plan is unstoppable.
2025 and beyond
If this week’s news is anything to go by, 2025 is going to be huge. Big claims and big achievements are happening fast. From Cathie Wood’s Bitcoin forecast to Norris Wang’s stablecoin DeFi prediction. As adoption happens and regulation clarifies, it will be tough and rewarding.
So what’s next? Wait and see. But note that the only thing that’s certain about crypto is uncertainty.
HODL Team
Disclaimer: All materials on this site are for informational purposes only. None of the material should be interpreted as investment advice. Please note that despite the nature of much of the material created and hosted on this website, HODL FM is not a financial reference resource and the opinions of authors and other contributors are their own and should not be taken as financial advice. If you require advice of this sort, HODL FM strongly recommends contacting a qualified industry professional.
