The year 2025 is expected to bring significant changes to the cryptocurrency market, with predictions ranging from a potential United States-listed Solana exchange-traded fund (ETF) to AI-powered crypto trading bots that could surpass human investors.
US-Listed Solana ETF: A Potential Price Catalyst
More companies are vying for a Solana ETF, including asset management giants VanEck, Grayscale, 21Shares, Bitwise, and Canary Capital. As the leading monolithic blockchain network, Solana’s $91 billion market capitalization is four times smaller than Ether’s $403 billion, meaning it needs to capture less investment for more upside momentum.
Crypto investors see an approved Solana (SOL) ETF as a potential price catalyst, and some say it may not even be priced in. Alejo Pinto, former IBM blockchain growth lead and founder of Solana layer-2 network Lumio, stated:
"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 Solana 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. The deadline for Grayscale’s Solana ETF application is Jan. 23, while the four other applicants expect a preliminary decision by Jan. 25, 45 days after the SEC formally accepted the ETF application for review in November.
AI-Powered Crypto Scams and Irresistible Hack Targets
In a significant hit for mainstream crypto acceptance, crypto hackers stole $2.3 billion worth of value in 2024, marking a 40% increase compared to 2023, according to a report shared by onchain security firm Cyvers.
Total annual funds loss per attack vector. Source: Cyvers
The rising crypto valuations and growing amount of digital payments could fuel a renewed wave of cyber theft in 2025. Investors should be particularly aware of authorized push payment (APP) fraud and so-called ‘pig butchering schemes,’ according to Deddy Lavid, co-founder and CEO of Cyvers.
"APP fraud deceives victims into authorizing payments, while pig butchering uses prolonged manipulation to drain assets through fake crypto investments," said Lavid.
More honorable mentions for 2025 predictions include:
- AI-Powered Trading Bots: 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.
- Donald Trump’s Presidential Inauguration: The upcoming presidential inauguration is seen as a significant growth catalyst for the crypto space, associated with expectations of more innovation-friendly crypto regulation.
- Institutional and Governmental Crypto Adoption: Industry participants expect to see more institutional and governmental crypto adoption, driven by the excitement around a potential Bitcoin reserve act in the US, which would deploy BTC as a financial savings technology.
AI-Related Cryptocurrencies: A $42 Billion Market Capitalization
AI-related cryptocurrencies are worth a cumulative $42 billion market capitalization as of Dec. 25, CoinGecko data shows.
AI-related cryptocurrencies. Source: CoinGecko
The symbiotic relationship of AI and blockchain is set to reshape the crypto ecosystem. Ashraf said this ‘evolution is going to challenge our notions of trust, control and creativity, creating a less human-centric crypto economy.’
Cryptotrading Bots: A Warning
While AI-related cryptocurrencies have already made significant strides in the market, there are still risks associated with these emerging technologies. Cryptotrading bots have been used to analyze and replicate human trading behavior, offering users 24/7 market access despite carrying significant trading and security risks.
Other honorable mentions for 2025 predictions include:
- Regulatory Clarity: 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, reigniting hopes that the regulator may drop its legal case against Ripple Labs.
- Institutional and Governmental Crypto Adoption: Industry participants expect to see more institutional and governmental crypto adoption, driven by the excitement around a potential Bitcoin reserve act in the US, which would deploy BTC as a financial savings technology.
Conclusion
The year 2025 is expected to bring significant changes to the cryptocurrency market, with predictions ranging from a potential United States-listed Solana exchange-traded fund (ETF) to AI-powered crypto trading bots that could surpass human investors.
