Four keywords shaping the 2025 crypto year: From the Trump effect to the tokenization craze

2025 is coming to an end, and the crypto market has experienced a comprehensive wave cycle. From the policy decisions of the White House to the explosion of new business models, each quarter has brought its own lessons. What is FOMO syndrome - the fear of missing out - which has repeated countless times this year. This article will summarize four main trends across four seasons, helping you better understand the profound changes in the industry.

Q1: The Year of Rainmaking Policies, TRUMP Gets Rich, and Clear Regulations Expectations

When Trump officially took office in January, the crypto market immediately became lively. BTC approached the $100,000 mark, demonstrating confidence in the upcoming legal environment.

The most notable highlight was the appearance of TRUMP - a meme coin considered the “official token” of the President. With an initial FDV of only $4 billion, its value quickly surpassed $10 billion, $30 billion, and then reached nearly $80 billion. Many traders made record profits, with some earning over $20 million USD. This event became the clearest proof of FOMO syndrome - the fear of missing out on quick wealth.

On January 20, BTC broke all previous records when it hit $109,800 USD. However, Trump’s influence was not only positive - his family’s crypto projects also caused controversy, along with unusual volatility.

On the policy front, Trump made some initial promises: replacing the SEC chair, appointing dedicated AI and crypto personnel, and accelerating the passage of the stablecoin regulation bill. In early March, a presidential decree was signed to build a national Bitcoin reserve from seized assets.

Q1 also witnessed other historic events: Hyperliquid’s record-breaking airdrop, changes in Ethereum Foundation leadership, and a series of controversies around newly issued tokens.

Q2: Trade War, DAT Boom, and Stablecoins Shine

In early April, the market was hit by a major shock when Trump announced a global tariff increase. In just one week, the US stock market capitalization evaporated by nearly $6 trillion USD. Crypto was no exception - BTC fell below $80,000 USD (lowest point of $77,000 USD), ETH reached $1,540 USD, and the total market cap dropped to $2.6 trillion USD.

After this storm, ETH finally found momentum for recovery. More importantly, the wave of Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) companies began to explode. Listed companies started holding large amounts of ETH as a national asset, creating a completely new business model.

Bitmine led with over 3.86 million ETH holdings, far surpassing the Ethereum Foundation. Sharplink, ETH Machine, and dozens of other DAT companies joined the race. The stock prices of these companies fluctuated like roller coasters, creating significant opportunities and risks. Many investors holding these assets from the early days thought they would profit endlessly, only to see their values vaporize later.

Meanwhile, Circle IPO on the stock exchange marked a major milestone for stablecoins. PayFi - a financial model based on stablecoins - became a widely embraced topic. Major tech companies like JD.com and Ant Group also announced participation in this race.

Q3: Stock Tokenization Boom, On-Chain DEX Competition, and Huge Yields

Q3 saw the explosion of stock tokenization (RWA). Platforms for trading tokenized stocks like xStocks began offering services for assets such as AAPL, TSLA, NVDA. This was a giant leap - for the first time, crypto traders could directly trade US stocks on the blockchain.

The emergence of a leading market prediction platform also created rare “gold mines.” Plasma - a stablecoin blockchain supported by Tether CEO - launched a savings program with generous airdrops. Some people who deposited $1 received an airdrop of XPL worth over $9,000 USD - a 900-fold yield. This is a typical example of FOMO syndrome as everyone rushed to participate.

WLFI, a stablecoin token from Trump’s family crypto project, also recorded impressive figures. Many bought at $0.05-$0.15 USD and made 6 times profit.

Hyperliquid and other on-chain DEXs continued to create highly exciting contract trading opportunities. Aster on BNB Chain, with its strong “price pulling” mechanism, also generated big profits - but also heavy losses.

Q4: Major Liquidations, Testing Patience, and Skyrocketing Platform Valuations

In early October, BTC hit a peak of $126,000 USD, fueling hopes for a bullish October (Uptober). But on October 11, all hopes vanished when Trump announced a 100% tariff increase. The fear index spiked, and three major US stock indices plummeted.

The crypto market was in chaos - BTC dropped 16% in 24 hours to $101,516 USD, ETH fell 22% to $3,400 USD. SOL decreased by 31.83%. Actual liquidation size was estimated at around $30-40 billion USD, far exceeding previous major crashes.

But with risk came opportunity. Bold traders seized this chance to earn hundreds of millions. The “TACO” (Trump Always Chicken Out) trading strategy - based on his behavior - was validated, allowing those with political insight to make huge profits.

In this dark market, prediction platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi became bright spots. Kalshi received $1 billion USD from top investors, with its valuation rising to $11 billion USD. Polymarket, after a $2 billion USD funding round led by NYSE Group, is seeking a valuation of $12-15 billion USD in its next funding round.

Overall Reflection: From FOMO to Knowledge

2025 has been a year of extraordinary opportunities but also significant risks. FOMO syndrome - the fear of missing out - has repeated many times, causing many investors to lose their fortunes. From TRUMP coin to DAT, from stock tokenization to prediction platforms, each trend is a combination of opportunity and danger.

The future of crypto still depends on US policies and the direction of traditional finance. The market will continue to fluctuate, but the lesson from 2025 is: understanding the essence of each new trend is more important than following FOMO. Only those with foresight can find their own treasure in this dynamic crypto world.