In a thread on X, Alex Svanevik, CEO of leading on-chain analytics platform Nansen, unveiled nine bold predictions for the crypto industry in 2025. Svanevik forecasts that the upcoming year will herald “the mother of all bull markets,” propelled by technological advancements, regulatory shifts, and widespread adoption across various sectors.
#1 Crypto Memecoins Will Set New On-Chain Records
Svanevik predicts that memecoins—cryptocurrencies inspired by internet memes—will continue to attract retail investors to the crypto space. He anticipates these tokens will significantly boost on-chain metrics, leading to unprecedented records in decentralized exchange (DEX) volumes across multiple blockchain networks.
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“Memecoins continue to onboard retail to crypto—and smash onchain metrics. We’ll see new records in DEX volume for lots of chains,” Svanevik stated. “Better infrastructure, easier user experience, lower transaction fees—all these make the journey on-chain better for newcomers.”
#2 A DeFi Renaissance
Svanevik foresees a resurgence in decentralized finance (DeFi), driven by clearer regulations and the activation of revenue models within DeFi protocols. With the upcoming departure of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Gary Gensler on January 20, Svanevik predicts that regulatory hurdles will be reduced and institutional capital will flow more freely into DeFi platforms.
“DeFi renaissance. Gary’s gone. Revenue switch = on,” he notes. “We actually have useful DeFi protocols now that tons of capital can flow into. Perhaps valueless governance tokens will accrue value.”
#3 Spot Solana ETF Launch
Svanevik anticipates the introduction of a spot Solana (SOL) exchange-traded fund (ETF), asserting that it will outperform the launch metrics of the Ethereum ETF. “SOL ETF. And it does better than the ETH ETF did at launch.”
As NewsBTC reported, discussions between SEC staff and issuers for a spot Solana ETF are “progressing,” with S-1 registration statements currently under review. Exchanges may soon file Form 19b-4 applications, initiating the official regulatory approval process. Asset management firms such as VanEck, 21Shares, Canary, and Bitwise are actively competing to launch the first SOL ETF in the United States, aiming for a debut in 2025.
#4 Resurgence Of Permissioned Blockchains
Svanevik predicts a comeback for permissioned blockchains, expecting them to gain significant traction this time. “Permissioned chains make a comeback, and this time gain much more traction. Watch Haven1 here. Tokenization will be a big theme for permissioned chains.”
#5 Flourishing Bitcoin Ecosystem
Svanevik expects the Bitcoin ecosystem to thrive both in traditional finance (TradFi) and through on-chain developments. “Bitcoin ecosystem continues to flourish—both in TradFi and on-chain (via projects like Bitlayer).”
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#6 DeSci Will Become A New Strong Narrative
Decentralized Science (DeSci) initiatives are predicted to fund groundbreaking scientific endeavors, particularly in longevity research and other frontier fields. “DeSci funds (crazy) science. Lots of crypto leaders are interested in longevity specifically and science more generally. This means more access to capital for frontier science—and probably more headlines,” Svanevik writes.
#7 Crypto Accelerates AI Development
Svanevik envisions cryptocurrencies playing a dual role in accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) projects and offering solutions to mitigate associated risks. “Crypto accelerates AI, but also protects us from AI. Wacky experiments with agents continue. Cryptodollars pour into AI projects.”
He also highlights the emergence of cryptographic proof-of-human projects to combat bots and fake content: “More cryptographic proof-of-human projects come to market to combat bots and fake content.”
#8 Enactment Of FIT21 Law
Svanevik anticipates significant legislative developments with the enactment of the FIT21 law, potentially catalyzing a new era of innovation and growth in the United States. “FIT21 becomes law. The era of the American Renaissance begins.”
#9 Exponential Growth For RWAs
Svanevik predicts substantial growth in the market capitalization of tokenized real-world assets, estimating at least a threefold increase. “We’ll see a 3X in market cap of RWAs—on the low end. Probably a lot more. People will finally realize the full potential of crypto: Every asset will be tokenized.”
At press time, Bitcoin traded at $94,239.
Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com