Crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuer Bitwise has predicted that 2025 will usher in the Golden Age of Crypto.
In its latest report, Bitwise outlined a stellar 2025 for Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana, building on their impressive performances in 2024. Among other things, AI-powered meme coins are also expected to force next year.
Bitcoin up to $200,000 and beyond
Bitcoin led the charge in 2024, surging 141.72% as ETF inflows hit all-time highs and its mid-April drawdown further constrained supply. Bitwise expects this momentum to continue, projecting Bitcoin to first hit $200,000, before later reaching $500,000 or more if the US government anticipates a strategic reserve of 1 million BTC.
Ethereum, despite a 75.77% gain, faced competition from faster programmable blockchains in 2024. However, the narrative is expected to change as Layer 2 solutions such as Base and Starknet Drives Adoption and Spots Ethereum ETFs Attract Billions of Entries.
Solana, “the phoenix of the crypt”, rose 127.71% in 2024, boosted by the meme coin craze. By 2025, Solana’s ecosystem is expected to mature and attract serious projects like Render, which could solidify its position as a leading blockchain. With these catalysts in play, Bitwise believes the “Magnificent Three” will dominate the crypto market, once again outperforming traditional asset classes.
Memecoin trends in 2025 could surpass those of 2024, driven by the integration of AI agents into the crypto ecosystem. Bitwise highlighted a significant trend: AI agents are driving the next wave of meme coins.
A notable example is a16z’s Marc Andreessen who linked up with the standalone chatbot Truth Terminal, which promoted the obscure meme coin GOAT. This quirky experiment led GOAT to reach a market capitalization of $1.3 billion, showing the explosive potential of combining AI and meme coins.
Another innovation is Clanker, an AI agent that operates on Coinbase’s Layer 2 solution, Base. Clanker deploys tokens autonomously when tagged in a Farcaster post, releasing over 11,000 tokens in just one month and generating $10.3 million in commissions.
While most of these tokens may lack utility and likely collapse, the convergence of AI and crypto represents what Bitwise describes as “an interesting collision of two innovative technologies, AI and crypto , which must be monitored”.
Stablecoin IPO fever that crushes $400 million
2025 will mark a turning point for crypto IPOs as unicorns like Circle, Chainalysis and Kraken prepare to go public, fueled by rising institutional adoption, interest in blockchain and an improved regulatory environment.
Bitwise also predicted that Coinbase could enter the S&P 500 and that MicroStrategy could soon be included in the Nasdaq-100. This could lead to billions in institutional purchases of index-tracking funds.
Meanwhile, catalysts such as pro-crypto legislation, fintech integration, global remittance adoption, and a thriving crypto economy could drive stablecoins to a $400 billion market cap by 2025.
Ultimately, Bitwise predicts that Bitcoin will surpass gold’s $18 trillion market cap and trade above $1 million per coin in 2029, marking its next four-year cycle high.
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