2025: Crypto bridges the gap between hype and utility
Exploring key trends promising to shape crypto in the new year, from Bitcoin DeFi to stablecoins and regulatory clarity
Mirexon/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks
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As we step into 2025, the rise of Bitcoin DeFi, the acceleration of cross-chain interoperability, stablecoin expansion, the integration of AI and crypto, and the maturation of regulatory frameworks are all driving anticipation for a bullish year.
The consensus is that technological advances are now poised to deliver real-world utility to the masses, paving the way for broader adoption and innovation.
Bitcoin’s resurgence in DeFi
Bitcoin’s role in DeFi is expanding, challenging Ethereum’s dominance, predicts Alisia Painter, COO of Botanix Labs.
“By 2025, we’ll see more Bitcoiners diving into DeFi…Bitcoin DeFi reached $7.5b in TVL by December 2024, highlighting the growing competition and users’ strong desire to bring DeFi back to Bitcoin or leverage their HODL’d bitcoin for staking, re-staking, and other DeFi activities on Bitcoin.” Naturally, she hopes Spiderchain, an EVM sidechain built on Bitcoin, stands to benefit from this trend.
Cross-chain interoperability
The fragmentation of blockchain ecosystems is gradually being resolved through enhanced interoperability frameworks. Jon Kol, co-founder and CEO of Hyperlane, predicts that “L2 fragmentation will soon be a thing of the past.”
“Permissionless interoperability bridges will seamlessly connect ecosystems, rendering the old debate obsolete,” Kol said. As these solutions mature, they’re unlocking new opportunities for cross-chain innovation, doing away with the concept of bridging and leading to better, safer user experiences.
Stablecoins as the killer app
Stablecoins are cementing their position as crypto’s most practical use case, with market capitalization projected to surge beyond $3 trillion over the next five years.
Kevin Lehtiniitty, CEO of Borderless, sees this as the dawn of a new era: “2025 will mark the beginning of the payments industry transitioning to fast, cheap and internet-native money through stablecoins.” Their utility in global capital flows, commerce and financial inclusion is driving this growth, making them indispensable for both businesses and consumers.
The crypto/AI convergence
The integration of AI and crypto rails is gaining traction and spawning multidisciplinary consequences, according to Clara Tsao of the Filecoin Foundation.
“Founders and developers working at this junction now are early, but we can expect to see the overlaps between AI and DePIN expanding rapidly in 2025,” Tsao notes.
This convergence addresses persistent challenges in scaling and trust, unlocking new efficiencies in computation and data reliability through blockchain-enabled verifiability.
Regulatory clarity and institutional adoption
The incoming US administration and global regulatory initiatives — like MiCA in Europe — are creating a favorable environment for crypto adoption. Eran Barak, CEO of Midnight, posits this “will redefine the regulatory landscape, offering the clarity needed for businesses to innovate.” Change in this area is also expected to further fuel institutional interest, particularly in tokenized real-world assets, which grew over 60% in 2024 to $13.5 billion.
In sum, as Nick Forster of Derive puts it, “the breakthroughs and advancements of 2025 could very well determine the long-term trajectory of the crypto industry for decades to come.”
Together, technology, regulation and utility are shaping crypto’s evolution from speculative fervor to mainstream financial infrastructure.
Here’s to a profitable, educational and fun 2025!
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