According to ChainCatcher news, data compiled by Trader T predicts that industry insiders and institutions generally believe that the price of Bitcoin will reach $180,000 to $200,000 in 2025, among which:Bemstein: $200,000Rich Dad Robert Kiyosaki: $350,000Fundstrat Global Advisors (Tom Lee): $200,000Standard Chartered (Geoff Kendrick): $200,000Arthur Hayes: $250,000VanEck: $180,000K33 Research: $212,500Bitwise Investments: $200,000+CoinShares: $80,000-$150,000Matrixport: $160,000Galaxy Digital: $185,000Bit Mining: $185,000Maple Finance: $180,000-$200,000Cathie Wood: $650,000-$1.5 million (2030)Michael Saylor: $3-49 million (2045)

ChainCatcher news, according to statistics from the Web3 asset data platform RootData, the total financing amount in the cryptocurrency market reached $10.112 billion in 2024, an increase of 8.3% compared to $9.337 billion in 2023. A total of 1,548 financing events occurred throughout the year, with 102 merger and acquisition events, a 34.2% increase from 76 in 2023, setting a historical high. The average financing amount was $9.1352 million, with a median financing amount of $4.1 million. In terms of financing scale, the most projects were in the $1-3 million range, totaling 408, followed by 244 in the $5-10 million range and 219 in the $3-5 million range; in terms of financing rounds, seed rounds dominated with 426 occurrences.From the perspective of sector distribution, the infrastructure sector was the most favored by capital, with a total financing amount of $3.995 billion in 2024, an 18.2% increase from $3.379 billion in 2023; the DeFi sector ranked second with $1.493 billion, nearly doubling from $759 million in 2023; the gaming sector's financing amount increased from $669 million in 2023 to $813 million. Notably, the CeFi sector's financing amount decreased from $990 million in 2023 to $679 million in 2024. The largest financing event of the year was Stripe's acquisition of the stablecoin platform Bridge for $1.1 billion, followed by Bitcoin mining company Iris Energy's $413 million financing, and Avalanche's $250 million OTC financing.In terms of the activity of investment institutions, Animoca Brands topped the list with 95 investments, followed by OKX Ventures with 72 and MH Ventures with 56. In terms of leading investments, Polychain was the most active, completing 30 lead investments throughout the year, with Hack VC in second place with 24, and both Lemniscap and Animoca Brands completing 17 lead investments, ranking third.

ChainCatcher news, in August this year, the Hong Kong High Court heard the world's first lawsuit involving "Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO)", ruling that six defendants must disclose detailed financial statements and supporting documents for their blockchain and Real World Asset (RWA) projects in response to allegations of asset misappropriation, involving over 6 billion HKD. Wu Jiezhuang, Chairman of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, Web3 and Virtual Asset Development Forum Committee, believes that the current development framework for Web3 in Hong Kong is still not完善, and suggests that the SAR government introduce regulations for DAO.He stated that the entire digital asset ecosystem can be divided into two important segments: one is exchanges, and the other is public chains, which usually exist in the form of DAOs but are like "orphaned souls" without a place to land worldwide. If Hong Kong wants to develop a digital asset ecosystem, it needs to regulate DAOs as soon as possible and establish a framework for DAOs so that these public chains can land in Hong Kong.Wu Jiezhuang further pointed out that the United States and Abu Dhabi already have relevant legal frameworks regulating DAOs, and Hong Kong should establish one as soon as possible. Since DAOs do not have legal entities, he suggested that the SAR government could refer to the current licensing practices in the securities industry to establish a DAO licensing system, requiring licensed DAOs to clarify internal individual relationships and to establish Responsible Officers (RO) to ensure that licensed companies comply with regulatory requirements and maintain daily operations.

ChainCatcher news, Messari Crypto researcher Dylan Bane tweeted that the DePIN (Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks) industry revenue is expected to exceed $150 million in 2025. The year 2024 is a breakthrough year for DePIN development, as multi-protocols successfully attract demand side after stabilizing on the supply side, with some protocols achieving annual revenues in the seven or even eight figures. In 2025, DePIN is expected to further expand its influence and achieve significant growth.

ChainCatcher message, Binance founder Zhao Changpeng (CZ) stated on X that he is often asked what the next hot topic in the crypto space will be. He admitted that he does not know and is just trying to help more projects and observe their development. He emphasized that we do not predict trends, but rather follow them and strive to contribute. He also asked the community: "What do you think will be the next hot topic in the crypto space?"

ChainCatcher news, according to official sources, the "Countdown to 2024: OKX Talks with Global Top Guests about This Year" themed annual Space hosted by OKX is in full swing, gathering leading industry media, well-known KOLs, and heavyweight institutional guests to engage in in-depth discussions on popular topics such as Web3 technological innovation, industry security, investment opportunities, macroeconomics, and trading trends, creating a peak dialogue for global blockchain enthusiasts.It is reported that this event aims to review the industry hotspots of 2024 and jointly look forward to the development blueprint for 2025, providing a platform for inspiration and communication for practitioners and users. Interested users can tune in tonight to countdown to 2024 with global top guests, envisioning the infinite future of the Web3 world and winning exciting prizes. Follow OKX's official Chinese Twitter now, or click the link to subscribe:

ChainCatcher news, Grayscale Research indicates that in Q1 2025, Grayscale will focus on tokens that involve at least one of the following three core market themes: the U.S. elections and their potential impact on industry regulation, particularly in areas like decentralized finance (DeFi) and staking; ongoing breakthroughs in decentralized AI technology and the use of AI agents on the blockchain; and the growth of the Solana ecosystem. Based on these themes, Grayscale has added six assets to the Top 20 list for Q1 2025. They are HYPE, ENA, VIRTUAL, JUP, JTO, and GRASS.

ChainCatcher news, the office of the Vice President of El Salvador posted on X, stating that Vice President Félix Ulloa emphasized the country's success in Bitcoin during a meeting with the Chinese ambassador.The meeting took place on December 23 and focused on strengthening bilateral relations and advancing projects to enhance digital connectivity and economic growth. The discussions centered on modernizing infrastructure and expanding economic initiatives to boost El Salvador's regional influence. Ulloa highlighted the country's financial and digital advancements, noting that the national Bitcoin reserves have exceeded $500 million. He attributed this achievement to the Bitcoin office under President Nayib Bukele's leadership.

ChainCatcher news, the renowned journalist Nick Timiraos from the Wall Street Journal, known as the "voice of the Federal Reserve," recently stated that the Federal Reserve is trying to reassess the impact of the new Trump administration on the U.S. economy and inflation.According to insiders, Federal Reserve Chairman Powell is very dissatisfied with the public remarks of some Federal Reserve officials, as they more directly associate Federal Reserve policy with the policy changes proposed by Trump. Currently, the market generally believes that the Federal Reserve's future interest rate cuts may be slower, fewer, and more cautious. Analysts say that the uncertainty surrounding the Federal Reserve's interest rate cut prospects in 2025 is rising, and investors not only have to face the possibility that the Federal Reserve may pause rate cuts for a period of time but also the turmoil that the new Trump administration may bring.

ChainCatcher news, Trump made some promises to the crypto industry during his campaign, and whether he will make the U.S. government a holder or even a buyer of Bitcoin remains a hot topic. SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci stated, "I want to remind everyone, if you think that after January 20th next year a switch will be flipped and everything will get better, and the Bitcoin and digital asset community will thrive, you are mistaken; that's not how Washington works."

ChainCatcher news, according to Jinshi reports, cryptocurrency was once a fringe issue in the eyes of the investing public, a concern for Washington policymakers, and a target of ridicule for top figures on Wall Street. However, in 2024, this situation has changed. Since the beginning of the year, investors holding Bitcoin have seen a 126% increase in returns, with Bitcoin soaring to over $100,000 following Trump's election. Data from Coinmarketcap shows that the market value of all cryptocurrencies has inflated by nearly $1.7 trillion.Ian Katz, managing partner at Capital Alpha, stated, "Currently, everything in the cryptocurrency industry is moving in a favorable direction." Cryptocurrency enthusiasts believe that the upward trend will not end soon. Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan believes that by this time next year, "we will be having the same conversation, that Bitcoin has experienced an incredible surge." Bitwise expects Bitcoin to surpass $200,000 by the end of 2025.

ChainCatcher news, according to CoinDesk, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and other leaders in the crypto industry have seen their wealth grow by billions of dollars in the political activities of 2024, despite investing heavily in supporting crypto-friendly candidates. Coinbase's political action committee Fairshake invested about $74 million in the elections, helping several candidates win. Armstrong gained an additional $129 million through stock sales after the election, with his stake in the company increasing in value by over $2 billion.Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Andreessen Horowitz also invested $73 million and $70 million, respectively, to promote reforms in crypto policy. It is reported that Garlinghouse owns over 6% of Ripple and a significant amount of undisclosed XRP tokens. This election has tripled the value of Garlinghouse's XRP holdings, so his personal wealth is expected to have increased significantly as well. On the other hand, a16z co-founders Mark Andreessen and Ben Horowitz hold significant stakes in various crypto companies, and their holdings are expected to have exceeded the funds invested in U.S. politics after election day.

ChainCatcher news, after President Trump is inaugurated on January 20 next year, Hester Peirce, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) commissioner who will remain in office, stated that there should be a significant shift in the SEC's approach to the crypto industry after SEC Chairman Gary Gensler departs. We have a large toolkit, and I believe that when you see the new committee changes and composition changes, the mix of cases will also change.

ChainCatcher news, according to Blockworks, as current chairman Gary Gensler is set to depart, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) retains only Republican commissioners Hester Peirce and Mark Uyeda, awaiting Senate approval of new commissioners nominated by Trump.Peirce stated at the Blockchain Association Policy Summit that the SEC's regulatory stance on the crypto industry will undergo a significant shift, with a reduction in reliance on enforcement measures expected. Uyeda pointed out that there is currently a lack of regulatory transparency, particularly regarding the SAB 121 policy, which requires digital asset custodians to report liabilities and corresponding assets but has not undergone the public comment process mandated by the Administrative Procedure Act.Although Congress attempted to overturn the policy, it was ultimately vetoed by President Biden. Peirce acknowledged that policy adjustments are not easy, but believes that the joint efforts of regulators and the industry can achieve the goals.

ChainCatcher news, according to The Block, Anchorage Digital CEO and co-founder Nathan McCauley stated: "The next U.S. government and Congress are committed to bringing greater regulatory transparency to the crypto ecosystem.By 2025, the industry will focus on several key areas, including: SAB 121, stablecoins, greater regulatory openness to digital asset innovation, and developments surrounding the U.S. Bitcoin strategic reserve."

ChainCatcher news, Matrixport released a daily chart stating that Ethereum, similar to Bitcoin, often loses momentum when prices rise significantly, especially when prices increase by more than 60% within 30 days. Historically, this has often been a good opportunity to take profits. Currently, the price has retraced to the level it was a month ago, which may indicate that a re-entry opportunity is brewing, especially if the cryptocurrency bull market is expected to last until 2025.It is worth noting that Ethereum has not exhibited the higher beta characteristics seen in the previous bull market during this round of rebound. However, it remains a favored asset among investors. The recent continuous inflow of ETF funds is the best proof of this. This strong demand not only highlights Ethereum's important position but also indicates that it remains a focus of attention even if it has slightly underperformed expectations in this cycle.

ChainCatcher message, a research report from CICC states that AI Agent is an intelligent entity capable of perceiving the environment, autonomously planning, making decisions, and executing actions to achieve goals. It possesses fundamental characteristics such as autonomy, interactivity, reactivity, and adaptability, with its core driving force being large language models.With breakthroughs in underlying technologies empowered by large models, we see AI Agents gradually landing in application scenarios focusing on verticals and multiple intelligent agents collaborating. According to market.us, the global large model market size is expected to grow from $4.5 billion in 2023 to $82.1 billion by 2033, with a 10-year CAGR of 33.7%. There are optimistic investment opportunities arising from the future development trends of AI Agents and changes in the upstream and downstream industrial chains. (Jinshi)