Top Five Cryptos That Rocked in 2024 and 2025's Projections According to Experts

Sentiment status: Positive

Projections for 2025 Look Promising. Bitcoin could be on its way to reaching $150,000, with high expectations surrounding the impact of new crypto regulations in the United States.

Exchanges report an increasing number of investors turning to cryptocurrencies, whether as an investment or a means of payment.

A Remarkable Year for the Crypto Ecosystem

The year 2024 marked a memorable chapter for the cryptocurrency world. Bitcoin (BTC) repeatedly broke its own all-time highs (ATH), driving the rest of the altcoins upward. The launch of cryptocurrency ETFs in the United States and several other countries further boosted market confidence, pushing the total market capitalization to an impressive $3.23 trillion.

"Bitcoin grew by more than 120% this year and is regarded by experts as the greatest store of value in human history. It proved to be the most attractive investment for Argentinians, serving as a hedge against the devaluation of the Argentine peso and the stability of the dollar/peso exchange rate in the country throughout 2024" states Marcelo Cavazzoli, Founder and CEO of Lemon.

"2024 marked a new era for cryptocurrencies with significant developments, including Bitcoin and the total crypto market capitalization reaching new all-time highs. Spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States accumulated over $31 billion in net inflows and more than $100 billion in assets under management (AUM). They have exceeded expectations in every sense" analyzes Richard Teng, CEO of Binance.

Historically, Bitcoin's price movements have often set the stage for trends in other cryptocurrencies. Acting as the market's vanguard, Bitcoin has consistently shaped market cycles in recent years. In 2024, the top five digital currencies with the highest global price increases, according to data shared by Lemon, were:

• DogeCoin ($DOGE) | +253%

• Aave ($AAVE) | +204%

• Stellar ($XLM) | +174%

• Tron ($TRX) | +144%

• Binance Coin ($BNB) | +124%

Stablecoins also reached new milestones, with the total supply hitting an all-time high (ATH) of over $200 billion, as reported by Binance. "A recent study by Castle Island Ventures, Brevan Howard Digital, and Visa highlighted that stablecoin settlement volumes also reached record highs, exceeding $2.6 trillion in the first half of 2024" the exchange noted.

Matias Bari, CEO and co-founder of Satoshi Tango, reflects on the transformative year for the crypto ecosystem:

"This year will be remembered for several milestones, all of them positive for the ecosystem. The fourth Bitcoin halving and its subsequent surge past $100,000, the approval of spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in the United States, Donald Trump's election with pro-crypto policies at the helm of the world's largest economy, and the growing adoption of cryptocurrencies. Without a doubt, 2024 was a remarkable year."

With these achievements, the crypto industry finds itself well-positioned for continued growth and innovation as we head into 2025.

Projections

What does the crypto market anticipate for 2025? Analysts and industry leaders predict continued growth, fueled in part by the inauguration of Donald Trump as the new president of the United States in January 2025. Experts see this event as a potential catalyst for further expansion of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

“For 2025, we expect growth to persist. This is not just wishful thinking — leading analysts, traders, and market specialists indicate that this is a likely scenario” says Matias Bari, CEO of Satoshi Tango.

Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume.

Sebastian Serrano, CEO and co-founder of Ripio, underscores the significance of Bitcoin breaking the $100,000 psychological barrier, reaching six figures for the first time in 2024. “This marks a definitive shift in the crypto era. It was inevitable, but certain factors had to align for this milestone to be achieved” Serrano explains.

The Four Pillars of Crypto Growth

Serrano identifies four key drivers of the 2024 crypto rally that are likely to continue shaping the market in 2025:

1. Bitcoin

2. Layer-1 networks like Ethereum and Solana

3. Memecoins

4. AI-related tokens

He also anticipates a new surge in the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA), the expansion of decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), and a resurgence in the crypto gaming sector, which he believes is primed for significant growth.

Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, projects significant advancements across the entire crypto ecosystem in 2025, from regulatory developments to technological innovations.

“With the recent U.S. presidential election and the anticipated crypto regulations from the new administration, we expect other nations to follow suit and implement comprehensive legislation worldwide” Teng notes.

He also highlights two pivotal factors:

• Donald Trump’s unique position: He is the first U.S. president to own multiple NFT collections and his own DeFi portfolio.

• A potential U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve: If implemented, this initiative could set a precedent, encouraging other nations to establish similar reserves and drive Bitcoin adoption to unprecedented levels.

“In this scenario, Bitcoin could reach new heights in both adoption and value” Teng concludes.

As 2025 unfolds, the crypto market seems poised to capitalize on the momentum generated in 2024, with innovation and regulation paving the way for another transformative year.

Bitcoin

Experts agree that Bitcoin's scarcity, heightened by the latest halving event, combined with increased demand, has created a complex yet potentially lucrative scenario. 

Highlighting technical factors, Sebastian Serrano, CEO of Ripio, explains, “The Bitcoin mining reward dropped from 6.25 BTC per block to 3.125 BTC. This triggered a supply crisis, as new bitcoins are now mined at half the rate seen before this fourth halving. Meanwhile, due to its capped supply, fewer than 1.2 million bitcoins remain to be mined out of the total 21 million. In essence, Bitcoin is becoming harder to mine, and the pool of new bitcoins is shrinking rapidly.”

From an economic perspective, scarcity typically drives up prices, and this dynamic may also open the door for other assets to gain attention. But how high could BTC go next year? While experts are cautious about committing to specific price targets, many suggest that reaching $150,000 in 2025 is well within the realm of possibility. Others are even more optimistic, forecasting ranges between $200,000 and $450,000—though only time will tell.

In addition to Bitcoin, other major cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Solana are expected to see significant growth. “A price between $150,000 and $250,000 for Bitcoin seems most likely at the peak of this cycle. Meanwhile, based on current speculation, we could see Ethereum rising to $5,000 or even $7,000 per ETH, and Solana potentially reaching between $700 and $1,000 per SOL” Serrano predicts.

Mainstream Recognition in 2025?

The broader crypto landscape also appears poised for a breakthrough in mainstream adoption. Matias Bari, CEO of Satoshi Tango, sees 2025 as a pivotal year for cryptocurrencies. “The conditions are in place for cryptocurrencies to establish themselves as a mainstream option for investment and transactions. Perhaps this will finally be the year that cryptocurrencies take their rightful place—and that is something worth celebrating” Bari concludes.

With a mix of scarcity, technological advancements, and increasing demand, 2025 could mark a defining year for Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency market.