Bitcoin and Crypto Market Predictions for H2 2025: What to Expect
Bitcoin and Crypto Market Trends: Key Insights for 2025
Key Insights
- Bitcoin treasury firms are emerging as a significant influence in the cryptocurrency sector, with expectations for this trend to persist into the latter half of 2025.
- The market anticipates an increase in spot crypto ETFs and crypto-related IPOs in the near future.
- While Ether has not kept pace with Bitcoin and several smaller cryptocurrencies in recent years, experts believe it still holds potential for growth.
The cryptocurrency landscape has seen remarkable developments this year.
Cryptocurrencies are gaining traction in political circles, highlighted by President Donald Trump’s establishment of a strategic bitcoin reserve and the Senate’s passage of the GENIUS Act. Traditional financial institutions are also embracing digital currencies, with spot bitcoin ETFs attracting $14.4 billion in net inflows as of July 3, 2025, according to Farside Investors.
Bitcoin (BTC) has experienced a 15% increase since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500, which has risen by 7%. The cryptocurrency is approaching its all-time high of nearly $112,000 set in May, aligning with the optimistic year-end projections made by analysts.
Will Bitcoin Treasuries Become Standard Practice?
Bitcoin treasury companies have gained significant attention in 2025. These firms hold a large portion of their assets in bitcoin, often viewing it as a hedge against inflation or as a potential global reserve asset. Companies like Michael Saylor’s Strategy (MSTR) have taken this further by issuing shares or debt to acquire more bitcoin.
While Strategy has been a pioneer in this space, new entrants like Metaplanet and Twenty One are emerging. Currently, around 135 public companies are reported to hold bitcoin as part of their asset reserves.
Stephen Cole, co-founder and CEO of bitcoin treasury solution provider Castle, believes that the latter half of 2025 will be crucial for the adoption of bitcoin as a treasury asset. He notes that this shift is driven by global market trends, evolving corporate strategies, and institutional acceptance. Cole anticipates that larger corporations will start to define their bitcoin acquisition strategies by year-end, indicating a shift from “if” to “when” regarding bitcoin investments for businesses of all sizes.
Do Altcoins Have a Future Against Bitcoin?
There are concerns that the rise of bitcoin treasury companies may diminish interest in smaller, more volatile altcoins.
David Lawant, Head of Research at FalconX, explains that demand for altcoins has historically come from two main factors: exposure to bitcoin and unique use cases that bitcoin does not address. He suggests that bitcoin treasury companies and improved access to financial instruments like options can now meet the first need more effectively.
However, Lawant cautions that bitcoin treasuries do not fulfill all the criteria that drive altcoin demand. He believes that the market cycle is far from over and that there is still potential for certain alternative cryptocurrencies to thrive. Altcoins with distinct value propositions still have opportunities for growth, especially with regulatory changes that could foster new trends in decentralized finance (DeFi).
Anticipating More Crypto ETFs and IPOs
Bitcoin treasury companies are not the only avenue for gaining exposure to bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in public markets. Existing spot ETFs for bitcoin and ether are already available, and Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart suggests that similar products for additional digital assets may soon follow. Adjustments to current ETFs, such as in-kind redemption and staking, are also anticipated.
Seyffart predicts that most, if not all, of the currently filed 19b-4s will receive approval by the end of the year, including those related to in-kind redemptions and staking for various assets.
The successful IPO of stablecoin issuer Circle (CRCL) has drawn attention, with companies like Galaxy (GLXY) and eToro (ETOR) also making their market debuts this year. Nate Geraci, President of The ETF Store, indicates that more IPOs could be on the horizon from crypto exchanges like Gemini and Kraken, as well as blockchain firms such as Consensys and Ripple.
Ethereum’s Pivotal Moment
Ether (ETH), the cryptocurrency associated with the Ethereum blockchain and historically the second-largest digital asset after bitcoin, is at a critical juncture. It has lagged behind both bitcoin and some smaller competitors like Binance Smart Chain and Solana in recent years.
A recent report from Ethereum advocates likened ether to “digital oil,” but some investors are skeptical about whether the technology’s adoption by companies like Coinbase Global (COIN) and stablecoin issuers will translate into long-term value for ether itself.
Nonetheless, Lawant believes there are compelling reasons to remain optimistic about ether. He notes that recent months have shown a shift in sentiment within the Ethereum ecosystem. Ether’s connection to traditional capital markets, evidenced by its active CME futures market and the introduction of spot ETFs, is a significant price driver. Additionally, many institutional investors still have limited exposure to ether, and the introduction of staking options in spot ether ETFs could enhance institutional interest. If current trends continue, there is substantial potential for ether to catch up in the market.
Ether has seen a decline of approximately 85% relative to bitcoin since reaching an all-time high of 0.1475 ether per bitcoin nearly eight years ago, according to CoinGecko data.
