Bitcoin, Memecoins, And The Crypto Revolution: Reflections On 2024 And What’s Next for 2025

Introduction

The crypto market is known for its volatility and fast-paced changes. In 2024, there have been plenty of both. Indeed, prices and trends can change overnight. However, more investors are trusting Bitcoins as a solid store of value. Not only Bitcoins but also meme coins have been taken more seriously this year, registering considerable growth in value and popularity.

The crypto gambling market is also rising fast, closing up around the USD 250 billion mark in 2024. Moreover, market specialists see a huge space for growth in the coming years as platforms like Bety adopt cryptocurrencies as payment methods. The gamers’ community has also increased the usage of cryptos in play-to-earn games and for buying in-game assets.

The steady growth in global crypto ownership in the past eight years has created the perfect environment for the rise of DeFi (decentralized finance) applications. At this point, no one seems to question cryptocurrencies’ ability to disrupt and transform the global economy. Here’s a retrospective of the crypto market in 2024 and what lies ahead.

Bitcoin’s Dominance: What’s Next for the King of Cryptos?

Bitcoin is clearly recovering from a seven-year streak of devaluation. It already accounts for more than half of the crypto market. It’s still far below its golden days of 90% of market dominance, but the signs of recovery are concrete. Here’s what investors can expect.

Bitcoin’s Market Performance in 2024

While Bitcoin remains the most popular digital asset, it has nearly lost its crown on two occasions. In 2018 and 2022, Bitcoin’s market value plunged 32% and 39% of the cryptocurrency market’s total value, respectively. Still, it has never really lost its crown since the second-largest crypto, Ethereum, never went past 24% of the total market’s value. Still, it’s excellent news that it’s rising again, finishing 2024 with 56% of the market.

The wave of optimism comes from the regulation of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US early in 2024. The new opportunity attracted investors’ and institutional interest, resulting in its highest price of the year in March. Additionally, the halving event of April 19 contributed to the upward trend. Halving events usually have an immediate impact on volatility, but the biggest oscillations may be felt six to 12 months later.

It was different this time. Bitcoin peaked before the event, reaching USD 73,097, with prices going down right after it. Between May and July, it was valued at USD 60,000 and wouldn’t rise again to USD 70,000 until October. Market specialists point out that a friendlier jurisdictional environment worldwide and the increase of institutional players on the table put Bitcoin back on track.

The crypto world also received the Republican all-around victory in the USA with optimism. After all, the Republicans promised a much more flexible regulation of digital assets and the creation of a national Bitcoin reserve. As a result, prices went up 40% in early November, reaching USD 100,000 for the first time. Bitcoin almost traditionally rises in December, but if it keeps going on its current trend, its value can go as high as USD 150,000.

Institutional Adoption and Bitcoin’s Role in 2025

Investors may have excellent reasons to be optimistic. The crypto-skeptic Gary Gensler is about to step down from the SEC. Reasons also include limited availability and increased institutional adoption under Donald Trump’s administration, but not only that. Bitcoin is becoming a sort of “safe haven” in times of macroeconomic uncertainty, with fiat currencies and inflation going up and down due to multiple global crises.

Such optimism can be translated into numbers: Bitcoin’s trading figures outperformed the AI leader, Nvidia, during the second half of 2024. BTC is already trading at around USD 104,000, but those factors can drive its price up to USD 150,000 by the end of the next year. Should the national Bitcoin reserve take flight, it will amass 5% of the global supply in only five years.

The bill proposing such a reserve still needs to be approved by the Senate. Nevertheless, the increase in institutional interest in Bitcoin is unquestionable. Crypto was also behind the most popular ETF in 2024, rising to prominence almost instantly after its regulation.

Bitcoin and the Future of Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

Bitcoin may reign over all cryptos, but Ethereum has created a kingdom of its own: decentralized finance, or DeFi. DeFi allows users to operate peer-to-peer transactions without the intermediation of banks or other institutions. DeFi relies on smart contracts, an innovation brought by Ethereum in 2013, a superior version of Bitcoin’s existing contracts. That’s why Ethereum is considered a pioneer of DeFi, and most projects are built on its network.

Bitcoin is trying to catch up, creating a DeFi environment in its network. The technical failures that plagued previous attempts have been solved with the 2021 Taproot upgrade. Now, with sidechains and layer-2 solutions, Bitcoin expands its capabilities to handle DeFi applications and smart contracts.

The Taproot upgrade’s innovations include Schnorr signatures. Combining several signatures into one can make transactions faster and cheaper. The Bitcoin network can handle much more complex smart contracts. Layer-2 solutions allow investors to engage with AMMs (automated market makers) and DEXs (decentralized exchange).

The update also improved the network’s capacity to handle multiple transactions without getting overwhelmed by them. Moreover, the creation of cross-chain bridges allows users to operate in Ethereum’s network while their assets remain secured by Bitcoin’s blockchains.

Memecoins: The Phenomenon of 2024 and Beyond

Originality was created as a joke, and memecoins are no longer a laughing stock. Indeed, 2024 was a year of intense capitalization for these coins, with figures going above USD 127 billion. How did it get to this point? What can investors expect memecoins in the future?

The Rise of Memecoins and Their Popularity

Dogecoin, the first memecoin, was released in 2013, inspired by Shiba Inu memes on the internet. Needless to say, memecoin enthusiasts were less interested in technicalities than in the viral memes and celebrities that inspired them.

Speculation, Community Power, and Memecoin Trends

Back in 2013, no one expected that cryptos based on cute dogs and other memes could become a serious investment or that a cryptocurrency could rise to prominence based almost solely on the engagement of its community. Yet, here we are. They borrow their popularity from viral trends on social media platforms like TikTok and X, where these currencies are usually launched.

However, the financial market hasn’t suddenly fallen in love with memes. Memecoins are also perfect for speculation, as their price isn’t affected by traditional metrics but by attention economy, celebrity endorsement, and social media trends. They’re usually much cheaper than conventional cryptos, democratizing access to digital assets and opening up opportunities for quick gains for investors.

Memecoins in 2025: Hype or Sustainability?

Memecoins are fun and popular, but they can also be very tricky. Prices can spike up and nosedive overnight, depending on the mood of celebrities like Elon Musk. Most of them are likely to fade into oblivion, which is the death sentence of a crypto asset that was born from internet hype.

It’s nearly impossible to say how long memecoins will last, given their extremely high volatility. While memecoin capitalization is on the rise, these coins will need more than memes to survive a broader financial ecosystem. Their survival also depends on the skill of crypto asset managers, who must master social media dynamics to advise investors.

The Crypto Revolution: Shaping the Future of Digital Assets

Cryptos left the fringes of the internet for good and are now ushering in a new revolution in the financial world. Blockchain technology is already used in several industries, providing superior ledger systems. Crypto transactions resemble the traditional financial market in many ways while changing one of its core features: centralization.

Blockchain-based transactions remove third parties, such as banks, from the equation. This means transactions are cheaper, faster, and borderless and no longer need a financial institution behind them. In an increasingly digitized economy, blockchain provides unparalleled transparency and safety, protecting its users from fraud and scams. Besides, proprietary cryptos can represent an edge over competitors for companies.

The Future of Crypto Betting: Trends and Predictions for 2025

The financial market sometimes looks very much like a casino, and cryptocurrencies play a big role in both. According to recent statistics, 60% of all Bitcoin transactions are gambling-related, with daily figures for crypto betting revolving around USD 3 million. Will this trend continue into 2025?

The Role of Bitcoin and Memecoins in Online Gambling

Cryptocurrencies are widely popular among gamblers, but they still represent a small fraction of the iGaming market. While the iGaming market is valued at USD 93 billion, crypto gambling revolves around USD 250 million. There’s still a lot of room for growth, and market trends point exactly in this direction. Gamblers love that crypto transitions are anonymous, nearly instant, and much cheaper than traditional payment methods.

Memecoin investment is already considered a type of gambling, given its volatility. However, memecoins are finding a new purpose in the iGaming world. As they can be used for gambling, play-to-earn, and in-game transactions, memecoins increased their utility. The result is higher community engagement, which is vital for the survival of any memecoin. Moreover, the merger of memecoins and iGaming attracts new audiences for both gaming and the financial market.

Decentralized Betting Platforms and User Empowerment

Blockchain and cryptos decentralized the online betting experience just like they decentralized the financial market. Sports betting protocols don’t need bookmakers or traditional platforms to operate, empowering their users. With third parties out of the equation, transactions become much cheaper, creating a more democratic betting experience for everyone.

Blockchain-based online betting platforms also provide superior protection for users’ funds and against fraud. All operations run on smart contracts, boosting time and cost efficiency. Wagers are settled automatically, with much lower fees and faster transaction times.

The Integration of AI and Blockchain in Crypto Sports Betting

Crypto sports betting is becoming even more efficient and reliable with the integration of artificial intelligence and blockchain. AI and big data already play a big role in this sector, crunching huge amounts of data to produce more accurate predictive analyses of events. Blockchain results are transparent, verifiable, and impossible to tamper with.

AI-based predictors are a recent phenomenon in the online sports betting world, but they’re already a game-changer. These predictors can provide superior handicaps and read the market much more precisely, delivering attractive and competitive odds. AI-powered tools also enhance players’ protection by identifying fraud and unlawful tactics and monitoring players’ behaviors in real-time.

Conclusion: What to Expect from Crypto in 2025

Crypto investors have many reasons to look forward to 2025. Institutional support will likely rise sharply under Trump’s administration, while Bitcoin value seems to be heading to new heights. Thanks to the Taproot upgrade, DeFi is finally taking off in the Bitcoin Network. Moreover, the last halving event has yet to deliver its best results, and market analysts believe it will next year. Should the upward trend of Bitcoin maintain its stamina, prices can go above USD 150,000 in 2025.

An engaged and growing community of online gamblers and gamers also loves cryptocurrencies and, even more so, decentralized betting platforms. Cryptos are the most convenient payment methods in this market, as they’re absolutely safe and anonymous. The iGaming sector has also given a new purpose to memecoins, where they can be wagered, buy in-game assets, and used in peer-to-peer transactions, boosting community engagement.

The approval and subsequent success of spot bitcoin EFT opened the door for new EFTs for tokens such as Litecoin, Solana, and others. The tokenization of physical assets (like cars, houses, etc.) is also gaining traction in the financial market. Tokenized assets have become collateral for financial operations for an increasing number of companies. Indeed, the tokenization of physical assets grew 60% in 2024, and it’s likely to grow even further in the next few years.