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2025 is here already. While we’re all catching up, crypto’s already speeding ahead. With AI, DeFi, and big players stepping up their game and making their moves, this year is looking like one for the books.
Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect in 2025:
Price outlook
- Researchers at Galaxy Digital have predicted that Bitcoin will cross $150k in H1 and “test or best” $185k in Q4 2025
- Likewise, they feel Ether will trade above $5,500 this year, with the staking rate exceeding 50%
- They also expect Dogecoin to attain $1
The already kindled AI token hype will be rekindled yet again this year. Consider this — the quarterly token trading volume for Bittensor's TAO rose every quarter in 2024. Token Terminal pointed out, "interest for decentralized AI (is) picking up.”
AI tokens registered an average YTD price gain of 2,940% last year. This trend is expected to further intensify in 2025.
Pure-play miners vs. diversifiers
Analysts at Bernstein have indicated that miners will “have to” continue to shift capacity to AI for value creation. AI diversifiers fared much better when compared to “pure-play” Bitcoin miners in 2024.
For context — AI diversifiers like Core Scientific and TeraWulf registered 308% and 136% respective gains for the year vs. 34% and 17% losses for Riot Platforms and CleanSpark.
Analysts expect this trend to renew because “AI changes the Bitcoin mining business model to make it more sustainable and less cyclical, bringing in a wider institutional investor base.”
AI, DeFAI
Furthermore, the analysts expect greater convergence of AI with the crypto industry this year. They expect innovation to be fostered across several fronts. Key developments include:
- Decentralized AI-focused blockchains for compute
- Storage and inference
- Proof of Human authentication services
- AI-integrated crypto wallets
- Tokenized AI agents
While DeFi, DePin, DeSoc, and DeSci took center stage in 2024, expect DeFAI to be the theme for 2025. The projects will revolve around:
- Abstraction layers (Griffain, Orbit, Neur, Slate, Wayfinder)
- Autonomous trading agents (Almanak, Cod3x/BigTonyXBT, Axal, ASYM, Project Plutus)
- AI-powered dApps (Mode Network, Hey Anon)
L2s, macro, policy, IPOs, equity tokenization, crypto custody
- Bernstein analysts expect the novel “pro-crypto” SEC to withdraw or settle existing cases with crypto companies
- They also feel the agency will enable more private crypto firms to enter the public market, with IPOs acting as further positive catalysts
- Alongside, they anticipate crypto exchanges and platforms like Robinhood to enable equity market tokenization, fostering liquid 24/7 equity market trading on blockchain rails
- Banks and asset managers are also expected to launch additional crypto-related products
- Galaxy researchers have predicted that the total crypto VC capital invested will surpass $150 billion, registering more than a 50% YoY rise
- The world's top four custody banks — BNY, State Street, JPMorgan Chase, and Citi — will custody digital assets in 2025 with the blessings of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)
- L2s will collectively generate more economic activity than alt L1s over 2025
- Total stablecoin supply will 2x and end up surpassing $400 billion this year
- The Bitcoin DeFi market, currently valued at $15.4 billion, is expected to double this year
Bottom line
In the words of Bernstein’s Gautam Chhugani, crypto is entering the “Infinity Age (i.e.) a long period marked by relentless evolution and widespread acceptance, leading to a point where crypto is no longer controversial — just part of the financial system built for the new intelligent age.”
He added,
“Expect less of boom-bust patterns. Crypto is now firmly on the radar of corporations, banks, and institutions, weaving itself into the very fabric of our financial systems.”
In all, 2025 looks set to be the year crypto gets its glow-up — regulators are playing nice, dev bros are coding like it’s a hackathon, and AI is sliding into the blockchain DMs. From Bitcoin DeFi doubling to miners moonlighting as AI compute hubs, the stars are all aligning. With institutional players stepping up and innovation firing on all fronts, the ecosystem is primed for a new era of growth. It’s ain’t just a bull run brew, it’s gonna be a full-scale evolution.
