Crypto Trading Volume Hits $80 Trillion Milestone Amid Volatility Shifts

Centralized cryptocurrency exchanges recorded $80 trillion in total trading volume over the past 12 months, according to CCData's latest Exchange Review. The figure captures a year defined by extreme cyclical swings, with derivatives maintaining structural dominance at 67% of December's peak $11.3 trillion monthly turnover.

Market activity bifurcated sharply between periods of stagnation and frenzy. Summer through autumn 2024 saw volumes languish near $4-5 trillion monthly, hitting a September trough of $4.34 trillion as volatility evaporated. The winter rally reversed fortunes dramatically—December's surge to $11.3 trillion coincided with U.S. election speculation and spot ethereum ETF approvals before settling at $6.8 trillion by spring 2025.

Perpetual futures contracts continued dictating market structure, consistently generating double the volume of spot trading across all periods. This derivatives hegemony underscores how Leveraged products now drive price discovery across crypto markets.