The year 2025 is expected to be a pivotal moment for the cryptocurrency industry, with several trends emerging that could either boost or hinder its fortunes. In this article, we will examine three significant predictions made by crypto industry experts and observers.
US-Listed Solana ETF Could Boost Crypto’s Fortunes
The approval of a United States-listed Solana exchange-traded fund (ETF) is seen as a potential catalyst for the price of Solana (SOL). Several companies, including VanEck, Grayscale, 21Shares, Bitwise, and Canary Capital, are vying to launch a SOL ETF. The leading monolithic blockchain network has a market capitalization of $91 billion, which is four times smaller than Ether’s $403 billion. This means that Solana needs to capture less investment to achieve more upside momentum.
The probability of an approved US-listed SOL ETF is still uncertain. According to Alejo Pinto, former IBM blockchain growth lead and founder of Solana layer-2 network Lumio:
Since it is still very uncertain, an ETF approval in the US would have a positive price impact on Solana since the probability is low and therefore not yet priced in.
The spot SOL ETFs are currently under review by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with a deadline for a preliminary decision by the end of January 2025. Grayscale’s SOL ETF application has a deadline of Jan. 23, while the four other applicants expect a preliminary decision by Jan. 25.
Brazil’s First Solana ETF Sets Precedent
On Aug. 7, Brazil approved its first Solana ETF, setting a precedent for other global jurisdictions. Solana climbed back above $230 on Dec. 11, fueled by growing trader anticipation for a SOL ETF and Bitwise setting a $750 price target for Solana.
Alex Svanevik’s Prediction
In his Nov. 27 Xpost, Alex Svanevik, the CEO of crypto intelligence platform Nansen, predicted that a US-listed SOL ETF would go live in 2025 as part of nine predictions that could make the next year "the mother of all bull markets":
SOL ETF. And it does better than the ETH ETF did at launch.
AI-Powered Crypto Scams and Irresistible Hack Targets
Crypto hackers stole an estimated $7.8 billion worth of cryptocurrency in 2022, with a significant portion attributed to scams involving artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology. The symbiotic relationship between AI and blockchain is set to reshape the crypto ecosystem.
Cryptocurrency Hacks
In a recent article, we discussed how AI-related cryptocurrencies are worth a cumulative $42 billion market capitalization as of Dec. 25, according to CoinGecko data:
Cryptotrading bots have already been used to analyze and replicate human trading behavior, offering users 24/7 market access despite carrying significant trading and security risks…
AI Agents
An AI agent is a more advanced form of software than the crypto trading bots, as they can adapt and evolve over time, learning from new market dynamics. This evolution will challenge our notions of trust, control, and creativity, creating a less human-centric crypto economy.
Other Honorable Mentions
While the above trends only scratch the surface of all the exciting crypto predictions, they illustrate the rapidly changing dynamics of the cryptocurrency industry. Some honorable mentions include:
- Donald Trump’s Upcoming Presidential Inauguration: Industry participants expect more innovation-friendly crypto regulation.
- Institutional and Governmental Crypto Adoption: The excitement around a potential Bitcoin reserve act in the US is driving adoption.
- Regulatory Clarity and Crypto-Based ETFs: Investors are hoping to see more regulatory clarity and crypto-based ETFs after Jan. 20, when future SEC chair Paul Atkins will replace Gary Gensler.
What’s Next?
The year 2025 promises to be a pivotal moment for the cryptocurrency industry. As we navigate these emerging trends, one thing is clear: the future of crypto is uncertain, but it will undoubtedly be exciting. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on the crypto space.
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