- A G7 or BRICS country will establish a bitcoin reserve.
- The cryptocurrency market capitalization will exceed $8 trillion.
- DeFi within the digital gold ecosystem will become the dominant narrative.
- BTC funds will continue to grow and new cryptocurrency ETFs will emerge.
Forbes contributor and NovaBlock Capital partner Leeor Shimron outlined seven major trends and events in the cryptocurrency industry that he anticipates for 2025.
2025 will be a breakout year for crypto ?
Here are my 7 bold predictions for the year ahead. From Bitcoin’s global adoption to explosive DeFi growth, the future looks brighter than ever.
Let’s dive in ??https://t.co/wRKxSKii38@ForbesCrypto @Forbes
— leeor.btc (@LeeorShimron) December 23, 2024
The expert described 2024 as a turning point for Bitcoin and the digital asset ecosystem. He noted:
- The launch of spot ETFs in the US based on two leading cryptocurrencies, signaling real institutional acceptance;
- New highs for digital gold above $100,000;
- The election of Donald Trump, who made Bitcoin support a central part of his agenda.
According to the expert, these milestones will develop further in the coming year.
A G7 or BRICS Country to Establish a Bitcoin Reserve
The Trump team’s proposal to form a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) sparked widespread discussion and speculation.
Adding cryptocurrency to the US Treasury’s balance sheet would require “significant political will” and Congressional approval, but the initiative has already led to an “SBR race” among countries. According to game theory, some may act preemptively to gain an advantage in diversifying national reserves.
“Bitcoin’s limited supply and its growing role as a digital store of value heighten the need to act quickly,” Shimron emphasized.
Calls for forming cryptocurrency reserves have already been made, for example, in the Russian State Duma and the European Parliament.
Stablecoin Capitalization to Double
According to Shimron, “stablecoins” have become one of the most successful primary use cases for cryptocurrencies.
The combined market value of assets has exceeded $200 billion, with USDT from Tether and USDC from Circle dominating the segment.
The expert is confident that sector growth will accelerate, surpassing $400 billion in 2025.
One of the main drivers will be the adoption of regulation in the US.
“Regulators increasingly recognize the strategic importance of stablecoins in maintaining the dollar’s global dominance, reinforcing its status as the world’s reserve currency,” Shimron stated.
DeFi on Bitcoin to Become the Dominant Narrative
The first cryptocurrency is increasingly moving beyond a store of value, with second-layer network projects like Stacks, BOB, Babylon, and CoreDAO unlocking the potential for DeFi development within the ecosystem.
L2 solutions enhance Bitcoin’s scalability and programmability, allowing DeFi applications to “thrive on the most secure and decentralized blockchain.”
One of the landmark events in this area, according to Shimron, is the Nakamoto upgrade implemented by the Stacks team in August. The protocol enabled seamless participation for the first cryptocurrency holders in activities such as lending, borrowing, exchanging, and staking.
“Looking ahead, Bitcoin-DeFi is poised for exponential growth. I predict that the total TVL in L2 will significantly exceed the current $24 billion represented by ‘wrapped coins’ and other BTC derivatives,” the expert believes.
Bitcoin Funds to Continue Growth and New Cryptocurrency ETFs to Emerge
Following the January launch, assets under management of spot exchange-traded funds based on Bitcoin exceeded $108 billion. This marked the most successful ETF debut in history, Shimron noted.
The demand for such products was further confirmed by institutional and retail interest in Ethereum funds, which began trading in July. The expert predicts that the integration of staking will further enhance the attractiveness of these structures for investors.
“I expect ETFs will soon be launched for other leading crypto protocols, such as Solana,” he stated.
Another Company from the Magnificent Seven to Add Bitcoin to Its Balance Sheet
The US Financial Accounting Standards Board has updated accounting rules for determining the balance sheet value of cryptocurrencies.
From the new financial year, companies will reflect digital assets at their real market price. Previous conservative norms required writing off impairment losses and prohibited recognizing unrealized gains. This affected financial performance and served as a barrier to cryptocurrency investments.
With the removal of barriers, it is “very likely” that one of the tech giants—the so-called “Magnificent Seven”—will decide to add Bitcoin to its balance sheet. So far, only Tesla has done so. The Magnificent Seven also includes Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia.
Collectively, these corporations have over $600 billion in free capital, Shimron emphasized.
In his view, converting part of the funds into digital gold will allow companies to:
- hedge against fiat inflation;
- diversify reserves;
- capitalize on cryptocurrency growth potential;
- strengthen technological leadership.
Cryptocurrency Market Capitalization to Exceed $8 Trillion
In 2024, the total market value of cryptocurrencies reached a record $3.8 trillion. This reflected the growing influence of the blockchain industry and new use cases for assets like NFTs or meme coins.
Shimron expects that in 2025, the influx of developers into the ecosystem will accelerate. The wave of innovation will primarily affect areas such as AI, DeFi, DePIN, and others currently “in their infancy.”
The development of applications solving real problems will stimulate the adoption of digital assets and economic activity.
“With such momentum, the cryptocurrency market is on track to surpass $8 trillion,” concluded the expert.
Crypto Startup Sector to Revive in the US
With Gary Gensler’s departure as SEC chairman in January, the era of “regulation through enforcement” in the US will end. The agency’s policy stifled innovation and even led to some crypto projects being pushed out of the country.
His successor, Paul Atkins, holds a different stance. The former SEC commissioner is known for his Bitcoin-friendly views and participation in initiatives like Token Alliance.
“His approach promises a more favorable regulatory framework,” Shimron is confident.
Combined with the end of the so-called Chokepoint 2.0 operation—informal regulatory pressure on the banking sector to limit crypto companies’ access to financial services—the expert anticipates a revival of a favorable environment for the industry. Its foundation will be:
- regulatory clarity;
- access to capital and resources;
- a spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship.
“Looking ahead to 2025, it becomes clear that the industry is entering a new era of development and maturity. With Bitcoin’s strengthening role as a global reserve asset, the growth of ETFs, DeFi, and stablecoins lays the foundation for widespread adoption and universal attention,” concluded the Forbes author.
Back in April, Trump introduced the position of a full-time curator for AI and cryptocurrency sectors within the administration, prioritizing them for US competitiveness. This post will be held by David Sacks from the “PayPal Mafia.”