Industry experts predict that the cryptocurrency market will see a strengthened trend of acquisitions in 2025, signaling a new stage of market consolidation and growth.
The industry is experiencing notable changes, characterized by a wave of prominent acquisitions.
2025: A Turning Point for Crypto Acquisitions
Recent transactions demonstrate this accelerating trend. For example, Stripe acquired a stablecoin-focused bridge for $1.1 billion last month. Meanwhile, Robinhood is set to acquire the global cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp for $200 million.
Additionally, BeInCrypto recently highlighted that Kraken plans to acquire the futures trading platform Ninja Trader for $1.5 billion.
Subsequently, there were reports that Coinbase is in advanced negotiations to acquire Derbit, an options and futures exchange for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH).
These acquisitions have been dominating the industry. In a recent X (formerly Twitter) post, Bridget Harris, an associate at Founders Fund, predicted that this trend would continue. She also pointed out the key factors driving this sustained momentum.
"More acquisitions will be driven by 1) FOMO + 2) US regulatory clarity," Harris mentioned.
Her post sparked many reactions, with industry voices sharing their perspectives. Adam Lawrence, co-founder of RWA.xyz, suggested that the cryptocurrency industry will enter a new competitive stage. He called this the "great distribution war".
As regulatory clarity improves, Lawrence predicted that the largest traditional finance (TradFi) companies will soon enter the cryptocurrency market. This signals a new wave of competition. Anticipating this change, companies within the industry are preparing for explosive growth and the challenges posed by new, powerful entrants.
"It's now a war between traditional finance and modern crypto fintech," Lawrence wrote.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Ng, CEO of OpenEden, joined the conversation by identifying projects that could gain attention amidst these changes.
"Projects with strong foundational infrastructure, proven products, highly loyal customer bases, and relevant licenses will become attractive targets," he argued.
These perspectives emerged as the government's stance on the cryptocurrency market shifts under President Donald Trump's administration. Overall, the regulatory environment has become more favorable, with the administration taking steps to support the growth of the cryptocurrency industry and provide regulatory clarity.
