Macro Trends

This year was marked by two major uplifts: the launch of spot-based Bitcoin ETPs in the United States, and the election of Donald Trump for a second, non-consecutive presidential term. Between those events, the market ranged in volatile, indecisive sideways chop for 237 days. While these events served as both catalyst and backdrop for the market in 2024, 2025 will see an expansion of market breadth and narratives. Without further ado, below are some of Galaxy Research’s predictions for 2025.

This report reviews the key events surrounding enforcing the EU MiCA regulation and releasing U.S. economic data. MiCA provides a unified regulatory framework for the crypto asset market, enhancing market confidence and compliance. The U.S. PMI shows a rebound in manufacturing activity, while the decline in initial unemployment claims reflects improvements in the labor market. These dynamics have an impact on the global economy and investment decisions.

This article compiles insights and predictions from major institutions such as a16z and Coinbase on the stablecoin market, alongside an analysis of the article How Stablecoins Will Eat Payments, and What Happens Next. It addresses key questions such as how stablecoins can enhance and transform traditional payment systems, create more practical applications, improve corporate balance sheets and profitability, and drive the mass adoption of stablecoins. Finally, it examines the future trajectory of the stablecoin market from a broader Web2 cross-border payment perspective, offering valuable insights for professionals in stablecoins, Web3 payments, and cross-border payment sectors.

Gate Research Weekly Report: This week, BTC found strong support around $92,500, with the market in a wait-and-see phase. ETH traded in a narrow range between $3,300 and $3,400, with overall trading volume declining. The AI Agent sector showed impressive performance over the New Year, with AI16Z gaining approximately 136.5% in the past 7 days. Elon Musk briefly changed his X platform account name to "Kekius Maximus" before reverting it within 48 hours. Shiba Inu plans to launch the TREAT token in early 2025. Base chain reached a new daily transaction volume record, exceeding 13.3 million on January 1st. Unichain mainnet plans to go live with permissionless fault proofs on January 6th, 2025.

This article examines potential policy changes for stablecoins and cryptocurrencies in the coming year, focusing on key regulatory developments, industry trends, and their potential impact on the stablecoin ecosystem. It analyzes shifting attitudes among policymakers worldwide, highlighting challenges and opportunities posed by regulatory uncertainty. The piece also explores strategies for businesses to adapt to the evolving regulatory landscape, offering valuable insights into the future of stablecoins and the cryptocurrency industry.

In December 2024, the Web3 crypto industry was significantly influenced by a combination of policy updates, economic reports, and market activity. U.S. economic data releases, Hong Kong's legislative process regarding stablecoins, the decline in U.S. consumer confidence, and the implementation of the EU's MiCA regulation collectively shaped the industry’s policy landscape and influenced market expectations. The implementation of MiCA is of particular significance, marking a significant step forward for the EU in crypto-asset regulation. By providing clear rules and expectations for the market while imposing higher compliance requirements on industry participants, MiCA is expected to contribute to enhanced market stability, increased credibility, and promote healthy development within the Web3 crypto space in the long term.

This article analyzes the concept of Bitcoin Strategic Reserves (SBR) and explores its potential impact on the U.S. economy and monetary policy. It provides a detailed discussion on the political feasibility of an SBR policy, its effects on the status of the U.S. dollar, and public acceptance, offering a multi-faceted analysis of the SBR policy.

Gate Research Daily Report: BTC dropped by 1.35%, and the double-bottom support level remains under test. ETH fell by 2.36%, with market sentiment staying cautious and showing no signs of a breakout. In 2024, total crypto venture capital reached $13.7 billion, marking a 28% year-on-year increase, reflecting strong confidence from the capital markets in the industry. DEX trading volume hit a historic high, highlighting the strong vitality of the decentralized ecosystem. The estimated storage value of Bitcoin has reached $1.03 trillion, reflecting an 85% increase this year. The Hyper mainnet staking function has been launched, offering users more opportunities to participate and earn. The industry is experiencing both innovation and market momentum, and its future outlook remains promising.

While Japan has quickly embraced Web3 technologies and rolled out supportive policies, the deeply ingrained conservative culture and complex bureaucratic systems have made the pace of innovation unusually slow.

Banking, long considered a neutral utility, has become a battleground for cultural, political, and economic conflicts. The question we must ask is: when financial access becomes weaponized, who decides who gets to participate in the modern economy?

This article analyzes Russia's cryptocurrency policy and its global implications. It explores how Russia leverages digital currencies to counter Western sanctions and establishes a significant position in the global cryptocurrency landscape through a systematic policy framework involving the promotion of the digital ruble, legalization of mining, and regulation of exchanges. As the world's third-largest Bitcoin mining nation, Russia is advancing the domestic application and internationalization of the digital ruble while collaborating with BRICS countries like China to build a new international payment network, showcasing its strategic positioning in the global financial system.

This analysis aims to delve deeply into the latest developments in U.S. cryptocurrency policies, including but not limited to examining the roles played by key participants such as the Federal Reserve, Wall Street, and Silicon Valley. It also analyzes significant events like Bitcoin spot ETFs and their impact on the market, while looking ahead to future trends, striving to provide readers with a comprehensive and in-depth perspective to understand the complexity and importance of U.S. cryptocurrency policies.

This article analyzes how Donald Trump's election as U.S. President could impact the cryptocurrency market. The analysis examines three key areas: U.S. dollar policy, cryptocurrency policy, and government appointments. It discusses Trump's pro-crypto stance, including plans to integrate BTC into strategic reserves, support DeFi projects, and acquire Bakkt. These policy shifts could significantly influence ETF tokens, security tokens, RWA (Real World Assets), and meme tokens, suggesting positive long-term implications for the crypto market.

Gate Research Daily Report: Over the past 24 hours, BTC price dropped by 1.63%, exhibiting a clear downward trend, while ETH price slightly declined by 0.48%, remaining within a consolidation range. The total stablecoin market cap surpassed $200 billion, with USDT continuing to dominate the market. Managed token pools' TVL exceeded $1.1 billion, reflecting increased ecosystem activity. Ethena partnered with Berachain to launch deposit Vaults, introducing a new ecosystem reward model. Meanwhile, Sophon's mainnet entered Phase Two mining, optimizing reward mechanisms to drive ecosystem growth. Despite market volatility, the crypto market remains active as ecosystem platforms continue to innovate, injecting new growth momentum into the market.

Gate Research Daily Report: BTC attempted to break through the 99,000 resistance level, but failed to effectively establish a foothold, falling back to $95,860. Ethereum staking volume exceeded 54 million ETH, with restaking accounting for nearly 10%. GT reached a maximum price of $17.69, setting a new all-time high. The monthly trading volume of the Uniswap protocol on the Base chain reached $15.65 billion, setting a new all-time high. US-listed company KULR launched a Bitcoin reserve, purchasing approximately 217 Bitcoins. The market value of the MIRA token soared to $80 million, becoming a new paradigm for rare disease fundraising. The decentralized AI infrastructure project ChainOpera completed a $17 million seed round of financing, led by Finality Capital Partners.