Galaxy Research recently provided its clients and counterparties with a detailed set of predictions for the cryptocurrency industry in 2025.
Bitcoin’s Record-Breaking Trajectory
According to Galaxy Research, Bitcoin is expected to cross $150,000 in the first half of 2025 and test or exceed $185,000 by the fourth quarter. This growth will be driven by institutional, corporate, and nation-state adoption. Galaxy Research noted that Bitcoin has consistently outperformed other asset classes, such as the S&P 500 and gold, and will continue to do so in 2025. Bitcoin’s market cap is anticipated to reach 20% of gold’s total market cap.
Galaxy Research predicted that U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded products (ETPs) will surpass $250 billion in assets under management (AUM) in 2025, following record inflows of $36 billion in 2024. These ETPs have gained traction among major hedge funds and institutional investors, including Millennium, Tudor, and D.E. Shaw, with the State of Wisconsin Investment Board also taking positions. Galaxy Research stated that Bitcoin ETPs are on track to surpass the AUM of U.S. physical gold ETPs.
Galaxy Research forecasted that Bitcoin will once again rank as one of the top-performing assets on a risk-adjusted basis in 2025. The firm also projected that at least one leading wealth management platform will recommend a 2% or higher Bitcoin allocation, a milestone that could significantly boost adoption.
Galaxy Research further stated that five Nasdaq 100 companies and five nation-states will announce Bitcoin holdings, driven by strategic, diversification, or trade settlement reasons. The firm also anticipated consensus among Bitcoin developers on the next protocol upgrade, including opcodes such as OP_CTV, OP_CAT, and OP_CSFS, although activation is unlikely in 2025.
Additionally, Galaxy Research predicted that over half of the top 20 publicly traded Bitcoin miners will pivot to partnerships with hyperscalers or high-performance computing firms to meet rising AI-driven compute demands. This trend is expected to limit hashrate growth to 1.1 zetahashes by the end of 2025.
Bitcoin DeFi’s Growth
Galaxy Research stated that Bitcoin DeFi markets, including wrapped BTC in DeFi protocols and staking layers like Babylon, will nearly double in size to over $30 billion in 2025. Growth factors include a 150% increase in cbBTC supply, a 30% rise in WBTC supply, Babylon’s TVL reaching $8 billion, and the expansion of Bitcoin Layer 2 networks.
Ethereum’s Momentum
Galaxy Research predicted that Ether will surpass $5,500 in 2025, driven by relaxed regulatory headwinds and increased partnerships between DeFi and traditional finance. Ethereum’s staking rate is expected to exceed 50% of circulating supply, bolstered by regulatory clarity and demand for staking services from platforms like Lido and Coinbase. The firm also forecasted a rise in Ethereum Layer 2 networks, which will collectively generate more economic activity than alternative Layer 1 blockchains.
Galaxy Research suggested that the ETH/BTC ratio will trade between 0.03 and 0.045 in 2025, influenced by renewed investor interest in Ethereum’s app layer and DeFi ecosystem.
Stablecoins and Traditional Finance
Galaxy Research predicted that stablecoin supply will double to over $400 billion in 2025, driven by increased use in payments, remittances, and settlements. Regulatory clarity will accelerate this growth, enabling traditional financial institutions to integrate stablecoins into their operations. The firm projected that Tether’s market dominance will fall below 50%, with alternatives like BlackRock’s BUIDL and Coinbase’s USDC Rewards gaining market share.
Galaxy Research also anticipated at least ten new stablecoin launches through partnerships with traditional finance firms, further embedding stablecoins into global financial systems.
Regulatory Shifts
Galaxy Research forecasted that stablecoin legislation will pass in the United States with bipartisan support in 2025, but broader market structure legislation will not. The firm also predicted that the U.S. government would stockpile Bitcoin using existing holdings, while the SEC would investigate Prometheum, potentially leading to the abolition of its special-purpose broker-dealer license.
Broader Trends
Galaxy Research stated that total venture capital investment in crypto will surpass $150 billion in 2025, with a 50% year-over-year increase driven by easing regulatory conditions and declining interest rates. Onchain governance is expected to see a resurgence, with active voter participation rising by 20% and experiments with futarchic governance models improving vote diversity.
Galaxy Research believes that DeFi will enter a “dividend era,” with onchain applications distributing at least $1 billion in value to users through buybacks and revenue sharing. It is expecting Custody banks like BNY, State Street, JPMorgan Chase, and Citi to offer digital asset services, while Dogecoin is projected to reach $1, achieving a $100 billion market cap.
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