VanEck Releases 10 Crypto Predictions for 2025

VanEck Predicts a “Double Top” in 2025, Bitcoin to Hit $180,000 and Ethereum to Hit $6,000 in Pre-Summer Bull Run.

Leading asset manager VanEck has released its 2025 predictions report, highlighting major changes in the crypto industry. From double-top bull market cycles to major regulatory shifts and institutional entrants, VanEck believes 2025 will redefine the role of digital assets in the global financial economy.

VanEck 🤝10 Crypto Predictions for 2025

Prediction #1: Crypto bull market hits a medium-term peak in Q1, sets new highs in Q4. We project Bitcoin to be valued at around $180,000, Ethereum to trade above $6,000, Solana to exceed $500, and Sui to surpass $10.

— VanEck (@vaneck_us) December 13, 2024

1/ Price Outlook

VanEck predicts a double-top bull market cycle in 2025. In the first phase, the market will reach a mid-term top in Q1, Bitcoin (BTC) could surge to $180,000 and Ethereum (ETH) to $6,000. Other projects such as Solana (SOL) and Sui (SUI) are also expected to hit $500 and $10, respectively.

Then, the market will undergo a correction in the middle of the year. Bitcoin is expected to fall 30%, while altcoins could plunge 60% in the summer.

The market will recover in the fall and “hit the roof” by the end of the year, which could push Bitcoin and Ethereum prices above their previous peaks.

2/ US government “gives wings” to Bitcoin

VanEck believes that the United States, especially under President Donald Trump, will create a major breakthrough for Bitcoin.

The Trump administration is expected to boost the crypto market with friendly policies, remove previous restrictions, and position Bitcoin as a strategic asset.

The SEC or CFTC can approve new ETP products such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, and allow banks to custody crypto, helping digital assets integrate more deeply into traditional finance.

The US government or states such as Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas can establish Bitcoin reserves, which can serve as a financial hedging tool while also attracting investment and innovation.

At the same time, the US's global Bitcoin mining market share could also increase to 35%, thanks to cheap energy and a transparent legal environment.

In a context of legal clarity, the US is expected to attract more crypto talent, raising the proportion of global crypto developers in the country from 19% to 25%.

On the other hand, VanEck also forecasts an increase in the amount of Bitcoin held by public and private companies. Specifically, the total amount of Bitcoin held by these companies could increase by 43%, exceeding 1.1 million BTC, larger than the amount of Bitcoin held by Satoshi Nakamoto.

3/ Tokenized securities are the new trend of finance

VanEck believes that tokenized securities will exceed $50 billion by 2025. Blockchain will help simplify the process of issuing stocks and bonds, promoting transparency and efficiency.

VanEck predicts that organizations like DTCC will support cryptoassets to move flexibly between public blockchains and private infrastructures, and establish AML/KYC standards for on-chain investors.

In addition, a possible breakthrough is that Coinbase will tokenize COIN shares and deploy them on its BASE blockchain.

4/ Daily stablecoin trading volume reaches $300 billion

Stablecoins will “escape” their limited role in crypto trading to become an indispensable part of global commerce. By the end of 2025, stablecoins are expected to process $300 billion in daily transactions, accounting for about 5% of DTCC’s trading volume, up sharply from about $100 billion per day in November 2024.

In addition to trading, the remittance market will also explode. For example, stablecoin transactions between the US and Mexico could increase fivefold, from $80 million to $400 million per month, thanks to speed, cost savings, and growing trust from millions of users who see stablecoins not as experiments but as real tools. Stablecoins are the “Trojan horse” for blockchain adoption.

5/ AI Agents’ On-Chain Activity “Surges”

AI agents, specialized AI bots that help users achieve goals such as optimizing profits or increasing social media engagement, will become a big trend in 2025.

Although AI agents are currently mainly focused on the DeFi sector, they have great potential beyond financial activities, such as becoming social media influencers, game characters, or interactive assistants in consumer applications. Agents such as Bixby and Terminal of Truths already have large followings on X. By 2025, the number of AI agents is expected to “storm” even more.

6/ Bitcoin Layer-2 TVL surges

Bitcoin L2 TVL has increased by 600% compared to the beginning of the year, reaching about $3 billion. There are currently more than 75 Bitcoin L2 projects in development.

Bitcoin can be transferred from the native blockchain to smart contract platforms, but they still rely on vulnerable and insecure third-party systems. L2 Bitcoin solutions solve this problem by integrating directly into the Bitcoin base layer, reducing the reliance on centralized intermediaries, thereby increasing security and decentralization.

7/ Ethereum Blob Generates $1 Billion in Transaction Fees

According to a VanEck report, Ethereum will continue to play an important role as a payment base layer, with revenue from blob space fees expected to reach $1 billion by the end of the year. This growth is driven by Layer-2 rollup solutions and high-value applications such as tokenized securities.

8/ DeFi “blossoms”, TVL surpasses $200 billion

Although trading volume on decentralized exchanges (DEX) reached record highs, both in absolute terms and compared to centralized exchanges (CEX), the total value locked (TVL) of decentralized finance (DeFi) is still 24% lower than its previous high.

VanEck forecasts DEX trading volume to surpass $4 trillion in 2025, accounting for 20% of CEX spot trading volume, thanks to the boom in AI-related tokens and consumer-oriented dApps.

In addition, the rise of tokenized securities and high-value assets will drive the growth of DeFi, providing new liquidity and expanding utility. Therefore, VanEck is confident that the TVL of the DeFi sector will recover to over $200 billion by the end of the year.

9/ NFT Market Recovers

After a sharp downturn, NFT trading volume has fallen 39% since 2023 and 84% since 2022. VanEck sees the NFT market recovering with trading volume reaching $30 billion by 2025.

This thesis is reinforced by the growing cultural importance of popular collectibles like CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club. Additionally, innovative projects like Pudgy Penguins are transforming into consumer brands, helping NFTs become more mainstream.

10/ dApp tokens close the gap with Layer-1 tokens

A prominent theme of the 2024 bull market is the clear superiority of Layer-1 tokens over decentralized application (dApp) tokens.

However, VanEck predicts that this dynamic will change by the end of 2024 as a wave of new dApps launch, delivering innovative and useful products that will increase the value of their tokens. Among the prominent trends, VanEck sees artificial intelligence (AI) as a potential area for dApp innovation.

In addition, Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN) projects also have great potential to attract investor and user interest, contributing to the rebalancing of performance between L1 tokens and dApp tokens.

In conclusion, VanEck believes that 2025 will witness the convergence of regulatory progress, technological innovation, and institutional participation, shaping the future of digital assets. With these changes, crypto will not only be an investment sector but also become an integral part of global finance and popular culture. In short, 2025 promises to be a year of explosion and strong transformation of the crypto market!