Crypto in 2025: Still Disrupting Finance From the Fringes—When Will Wall Street Wake Up?

Crypto keeps knocking—but traditional finance still won't answer the door.

Despite Bitcoin's 2024 halving and Ethereum's Shanghai upgrade, digital assets remain the rebellious cousin at banking's dinner table. Institutional adoption? More like institutional hesitation.

The trillion-dollar question: Are banks afraid of volatility—or losing their 30% margin monopoly?

DeFi protocols now handle $200B+ in TVL while TradFi gatekeepers cling to SWIFT like fax machines. CBDCs loom, but real innovation? That's still happening on-chain.

Prediction: The next BlackRock ETF filing will coincidentally drop right after Bitcoin's next 20% dip. How... strategic.

Many people were not paying attention when Bitcoin (BTC) first emerged in 2008, and the few who did were labelled barmy technology nerds who were not living in the real world.

However, BTC and cryptocurrencies are now dominating conversations about the future of money, power and individual sovereignty.

Bitcoin is now a $1 trillion industry that can rival traditional systems. But will crypto, including Bitcoin, stablecoins and DeFi, ever fully become mainstream?

The Emergence of Bitcoin

Bitcoin was a revolt against central banks and the established financial order.

Supporters believe it provides digital sovereignty, allowing holders to store and transfer value without middlemen, censorship or gatekeepers.

That is a remarkable value proposition, considering we live in fear of constant surveillance, monetary manipulation and corporate power.

People in all corners of the world are fighting inflation, bank instability and political crackdowns, forcing them to turn to bitcoin to preserve wealth and move money. BTC is now more than a hedge against inflation. It has become a safety net against authoritarianism.

But even though more people are beginning to understand its appeal, Bitcoin still struggles because others question the usability of the digital currency.

BTC is technical and volatile. It is not pegged to any fiat currency, making it risky for day-to-day transactions. This is where stablecoins come in.

Stablecoins – The Trojan Horse for Crypto Adoption?

Stablecoins are digital currencies pegged to a fiat currency, such as the United States dollar. They have become crucial for the crypto space as they are easier to manage than assets such as BTC.

Users prefer to trade these less-volatile digital tokens. They also offer on-ramps to decentralised finance (DeFi) and act as cash for international transactions.

Under president Donald Trump, the US has embraced stablecoins. Legislation is moving to support its growth while big tech companies build exciting products around these tokens.

However, it is worth noting that stablecoins are not banks. They do not offer deposit insurance, plus the assets backing them can vary in quality and transparency.

Mismanagement or any sudden change can also break the $1 peg and trigger runs. We saw how quickly things can turn sour during the 2023 USDC crisis, triggered by exposure to Silicon Valley Bank.

Nevertheless, stablecoins are becoming increasingly popular, and the market could grow to $2 trillion by 2028, paving the way for crypto to go mainstream.

The Quiet Crypto Revolution in Gaming

Crypto is quietly helping to break down regulatory barriers to iGaming in emerging jurisdictions such as Saudi Arabia.

The Middle Eastern country prohibits gambling. However, Arab players use crypto to bypass regulatory bottlenecks when they want to enjoy the thrill of gaming without getting into trouble.

It is feasible to sign up for an account at an online casino in Saudi Arabia and use crypto to facilitate deposit and withdrawal transactions.

There are also crypto games where players can earn digital tokens that they later exchange for spendable currency. This is particularly helpful in regions where youth unemployment is an issue.

Some neighbouring countries in the Middle East have taken things a step further by establishing their own licensing and regulatory framework for the iGaming sector.

Crypto is one of the elements fuelling this ambitious move, providing Arab players with a seamless way to fund their online gambling activities.

Power and the Shift Away from Traditional Finance Systems

We live in an increasingly hollow time when behemoth corporations such as BlackRock control trillions and influence everything from defence to pension funds.

Bitcoin and DeFi have become an escape from this worrying reality. These tools give people the power to opt out of a fickle system where their financial identity can be frozen, scored or denied based on geopolitics or algorithms.

DeFi platforms allow people to borrow, lend and earn yield without a bank. With BTC, anyone can hold value without worrying that it can be seized.

Is BTC volatile? Yes. Are there regulatory and transparency issues to address? Indubitably. But crypto gives individuals more control over their money in the face of ungovernable financial institutions.

The Path to the Mainstream

Many people believe cryptocurrencies have already gone mainstream. Crypto has been a mainstay in financial conversations over the past few years.

The US is scrambling to create a crypto-friendly environment, and digital tokens could become even more popular. If they get it right.

Stablecoins are being institutionalised. Asset managers and some countries are holding BTC and other digital tokens. Governments are redrafting rules and reconsidering long-held stances.

Crypto is hovering on the fringes of the mainstream, but the real test is penetrating that realm just outside the traditional system – that intersection of unbanked and economically trapped individuals.

We may never reach the stage where we use crypto to buy early morning coffee, but it is a lifeline when the lights go out, and many people are holding on to it for dear life.