Post-MiCA USDT Decline, Ripple CEO's Message, CZ's 2025 Outlook: Latest Updates from the Crypto Market
The year 2025 has begun with significant developments in the cryptocurrency market. Tether's market cap has decreased following the MiCA regulations, while Ripple's CEO delivered hopeful messages to the XRP community. CZ, the former CEO of Binance, stated that 2025 will be a turning point for cryptocurrencies, and Pump.fun has surpassed Ethereum in the meme token ecosystem with its success. Cardano's founder, Charles Hoskinson, has announced an ambitious roadmap for 2025.
Tether's market cap decreased by $1.4 billion due to MiCA regulations Tether's USDT, a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar, experienced a significant drop with the full implementation of the EU's Digital Asset Markets (MiCA) regulations. Tether's market cap fell by approximately 1.2% this week to $137 billion, a notable decline from its peak of $140 billion in December 2024. This development has raised uncertainties about Tether's future in the EU market and sparked speculation on how the new regulations will affect USDT.
Experts indicate that Tether is unlikely to be significantly impacted by the regulation due to its strong dominance in the Asian and US markets. MiCA regulations require companies issuing stable cryptocurrencies to obtain special licenses, and currently, only Circle's USDC has received this license. Tether continues to invest in Europe-based companies to maintain its presence in the EU market. CEO Paolo Ardoino emphasized that Tether has no plans to withdraw from the EU.
Ripple CEO provides optimistic message to the XRP community Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse sent a positive message to the XRP community and the cryptocurrency market for 2025. Garlinghouse stated that the focus on real-world use cases and the adoption of XRP is continuing to grow. After ending 2024 with impressive performance, XRP started the new year strongly, gaining 22% since the beginning of the year and reaching $2.44.
The rise of XRP is supported by expectations for the implementation of crypto-friendly policies in the US. With Donald Trump set to take office on January 20, 2025, and SEC Chairman Gary Gensler's departure, a positive atmosphere has been created in the cryptocurrency market. It is believed that the new regulatory approach may end Ripple's ongoing legal battle with the SEC. Ripple's global partnerships aimed at increasing XRP adoption and the launch of the RLUSD stablecoin in December are among other significant steps supporting this growth.
Former Binance CEO CZ calls 2025 a "big year" for the crypto market Changpeng Zhao (CZ), the former CEO of Binance, expressed his optimistic outlook for the cryptocurrency market in 2025. In a post on social media, CZ stated that 2025 will be a year in which cryptocurrency prices will rise rapidly. Particularly in the US, Donald Trump's administration is expected to introduce crypto-friendly policies, and central banks' expansionary monetary policies are positively affecting the overall market sentiment.
Research firm Steno Research suggested that 2025 could be "the best year yet" for the cryptocurrency market. The firm set price targets of $150,000 for Bitcoin and $8,000 for Ethereum, noting that positive changes in regulations will also support the altcoin market. The total locked value (TVL) in DeFi protocols is expected to reach $300 billion.
Pump.fun surpasses Ethereum in weekly revenues The Solana-based meme token platform Pump.fun drew attention by surpassing Ethereum in weekly revenues. The platform generated $28.56 million in weekly revenue, exceeding Ethereum's $25.36 million. A significant portion of Pump.fun's revenues is allocated to the platform’s treasury, increasing interest in the Solana ecosystem.
The platform has notably increased its user base, particularly with Solana's recent rise. The increase in daily active users and the number of token creators are among the factors supporting the platform's success. Pump.fun is also emerging in the AI-based token market and contributing to Solana's decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.
Charles Hoskinson announces an ambitious roadmap for Cardano in 2025 Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, unveiled an ambitious roadmap aimed at transforming the Cardano ecosystem for 2025. Hoskinson stated that this strategic plan focuses on decentralized governance, corporate engagement, and strengthening global collaborations. Notably, the roadmap includes the adoption of a constitution that will establish the future governance framework of Cardano.
Hoskinson aims to address technical issues by organizing workshops in 100 different countries in 2025 and increasing blockchain scalability. These initiatives aim to strengthen Cardano's position as a global blockchain platform. Although the ADA price is currently trading at $1.03, the implementation of this roadmap is expected to boost investor interest.