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Tether Market Cap Decline Not a Bearish Signal, Says Matrixport

Tether’s USDt stablecoin has experienced a 2.8% market cap decline since its peak of $141 billion on Dec. 19, 2024, as reported by CoinGecko. Trading volumes for USDT have also dropped significantly, plummeting 64% from approximately $154 billion in mid-December to $55 billion by Jan. 6, 2025. Despite these figures, Matrixport, a crypto financial services platform, suggests this trend is not indicative of a bearish market turn. In a Jan. 6 post on X, Matrixport attributed the decline to the holiday season slowdown in trading activity rather than a fundamental shift in market sentiment. Matrixport remains optimistic, predicting that bullish momentum will resume shortly. The firm noted that increasing stablecoin trading volumes often signal bullish trends as they reflect greater fiat inflows into the crypto ecosystem. “However, when these trends reverse, it often signals a consolidation phase for Bitcoin and the broader crypto market,” Matrixport stated. “While Tether’s market cap has declined recently and trading volumes have tapered off, it may be premature to turn bearish. These trends could simply reflect the seasonal lull during the Christmas holiday period. With the new year underway, it won’t be long before we see whether the market’s bullish momentum resumes,” the post added. Other analysts have echoed Matrixport’s perspective. CryptoQuant’s Axel Adler commented on Jan. 4 that Bitcoin needs increased trading volume to trigger a strong bullish impulse, which is likely to return after the holiday season. Meanwhile, community discussions around Tether have criticized reports linking its market cap decline to the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). Although some reports suggested Tether would be delisted from European exchanges by Dec. 30, 2024, local regulators have issued no official guidance to that effect. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has also refrained from commenting on USDT’s compliance under MiCA. Bitfinex blog

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6 trends to follow in 2025 as crypto hits the mainstream

By Mark Greenberg, Kraken Global Head of Consumer This year promises deeper integration of crypto into mainstream financial strategies, spurred by growing trust, accessibility and innovation. Here are my six top-of-mind themes for the coming year. 1. Crypto becomes a staple in the ideal investment portfolio Crypto’s historic asymmetric return profile has made it increasingly difficult for investors to justify not having it in their portfolios. In 2025, strategies like dollar-cost averaging (DCA) that enable investors to start small and steadily increase their holdings will continue to gain ground. I expect approaches that promote the gradual familiarization of the asset class to accelerate in the new year. 2. Crypto platforms turn their focus to offering clients medium- and long-term wealth building strategies, with trust as the biggest differentiator 2025 is going to see exchanges and crypto platforms shift product strategy toward offering clients medium- and longer-term wealth-building strategies. The foundation of these services will be earning yield on stablecoin holdings, with more sophisticated products and services layered on top. Given the lessons learned from last cycle with the collapses of FTX, Celsius and Voyager, clients will emphasize platform trust, security and longevity as they choose how to access these opportunities. 3. Stablecoin market sees first real challenges to incumbents, and users are the primary beneficiaries It’s no secret that stablecoin activity is dominated by Tether and USDC . In 2025, they will face real competition for the first time, as a new generation of stablecoins launch with regulatory and regional advantages over the Big Two. The increased competition will be a boon to users, who will have more tools to manage digital fiat currencies, while the adoption of alternatives can help manage the counterparty risk of stablecoin issuers. 4. Bitcoin gets more mainstream interest when inflation rebounds Some analysts predict inflation could stay above the Fed’s 2% target . After the past few years, everyone in the West now has first-hand experience of what a not-so steady erosion in fiat currency value looks like, for the first time since the 1970s. Bitcoin’s rigidly fixed supply – which not even gold can offer – could lead to further mainstream appreciation of its deflationary value proposition. This could spur further adoption as investors seek out store of value assets that protect wealth against a continued devaluation in fiat currencies. 5. Crypto markets become less volatile Over the past decade, crypto volatility has generally trended downward. This is because more adoption has led to more liquidity, which makes the market less susceptible to violent price swings in either direction. We anticipate that crypto volatility could continue to decrease now that ETFs have made crypto exposure accessible to a broader swath of investors than ever before. This could make crypto a more attractive proposition for investors further along the risk appetite curve (and serve as a tailwind for strategies like DCA). 6. New generation of banking services built on crypto reach the mainstream We have already started to see new investment products – like money market funds – launch on different blockchains. Established financial institutions understand and are leveraging the efficiencies gained by using this technology as well as its ability to open products up to whole new markets. In 2025, I fully expect we’ll see more familiar financial products built on blockchain to come to market — including payments, high-yield saving accounts, credit cards, borrowing and more. 2025: Crypto graduates to the main stage In 2025, the maturation of the crypto market will usher in a new era of opportunity and stability for investors and institutions alike. Whether it’s the mainstream adoption of Bitcoin as a store of value, the emergence of competitive stablecoins, or platforms prioritizing long-term wealth-building strategies, crypto’s influence will extend further into the financial world. With trust and accessibility at the forefront, this transformative year is set to solidify crypto’s place as an essential pillar in the modern financial ecosystem. Get started with Kraken The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Kraken or its management. These materials are for general information purposes only and are not investment advice or a recommendation or solicitation to buy, sell, stake, or hold any cryptoasset or to engage in any specific trading strategy. Kraken makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any such information and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Kraken does not and will not work to increase or decrease the price of any particular cryptoasset it makes available. Some crypto products and markets are regulated and others are unregulated; regardless, Kraken may or may not be required to be registered or otherwise authorised to provide specific products and services in each market, and you may not be protected by government compensation and/or regulatory protection schemes. The unpredictable nature of the crypto-asset markets can lead to loss of funds. Tax may be payable on any return and/or on any increase in the value of your cryptoassets and you should seek independent advice on your taxation position. Geographic restrictions may apply. See Legal Disclosures for each jurisdiction here . The post 6 trends to follow in 2025 as crypto hits the mainstream appeared first on Kraken Blog . Bitfinex blog