Blockchain companies are seeing an increased interest from VCs, as funding is expected to grow to $18 billion in 2025.
While this figure is not as high as the surge in 2021, the recovery is a positive sign for an industry that has battled regulatory scrutiny and scalability concerns.
But what exactly is causing this rebound?
In this guide, we’ll share the top four blockchain trends to watch in 2025.
Additionally, we’ll cover additional industry statistics that are shaping the blockchain market this year and for years to come.
Top 4 Blockchain Trends
Here are the top 4 blockchain trends to watch out for in the next 5 years.
1. AI and blockchain merge to form more intelligent networks
Artificial intelligence and blockchain are merging to create smarter, more efficient systems. This integration transforms decentralized finance, data integrity, and infrastructure management.
It’s evident in the AI crypto token market, which currently has a market capitalization of $39.79 billion.
There are various types of AI tokens, including:
- AI Agents
- AI Agent Launchpads
- Bittensor Ecosystem
- AI Frameworks
- AI Applications
- Decentralized AI Marketplaces
In addition to the token market, AI algorithms have also found their way into decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms.
They optimize trading strategies and yield farming, including projects like Virtuals, which enables the deployment of user-friendly AI agents.
These agents automate complex financial tasks, making life easier for developers and traders. In fact, over 1 million AI agents are expected to operate on-chain by the end of 2025, streamlining DeFi and analytics.
2. Stablecoin usage becomes mainstream for global commerce.
Stablecoins are revolutionizing global finance with fast and low-cost transactions.
They bridge the crypto and traditional economies seamlessly, making it easier for individuals and governments to conduct international transactions while fueling global commerce.
The current stablecoin market cap is $246.12 billion. However, industry experts project it could nearly double to $400 billion by the end of 2025.

Their impact is evident in their role in cross-border payments. Stablecoins like USDC and Tether process transactions in seconds, unlike slow banking systems.
For example, a $10,000 cross-border transfer via traditional banks may incur fees of $50–$100 and take 3–5 days, whereas a stablecoin transaction typically costs less than $1 and settles in under a minute.
Companies, including Visa and PayPal, now use them for settlements because they slash fees and boost efficiency.
Visa recently invested in BVNK, a stablecoin-based payment startup. The company processed over $12 billion in stablecoin transactions in 2024, with plans to expand further in 2025.
Beyond payments, stablecoins are gaining traction in decentralized finance (DeFi) and everyday commerce.
In DeFi, stablecoins serve as a stable store of value for lending, borrowing, and trading, with over $80 billion in stablecoins locked in DeFi protocols as of 2024.
The growth and adoption are encouraging, but challenges remain (such as regulatory scrutiny and concerns over reserve transparency).
However, innovations like real-time reserve audits and algorithmic stablecoins are addressing these issues.
3. Crypto’s green revolution becomes more important.
Sustainability is no longer optional in blockchain. The cryptocurrency industry is under pressure to reduce its environmental footprint, particularly as Bitcoin alone used 110 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually in 2024.

However, there is an emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint moving forward to make Bitcoin mining and the cryptocurrency industry as a whole a greener sector.
As criticism over energy use mounts, networks are pivoting to greener alternatives. The shift from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) and other low-energy consensus models is gaining momentum.
Ethereum’s transition to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) in 2022 set the tone, resulting in a reduction of its energy consumption by over 99%.
Now, newer blockchains are launching with sustainability in mind from the outset, such as Chia, which employs a “proof of space and time” model to significantly reduce carbon footprints.
In 2025, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) standards are influencing investor decisions in crypto more than ever.
Green blockchains and carbon credit tokenization are becoming increasingly attractive to institutions seeking to meet their sustainability targets.
Expect climate-focused protocols and green tokens to lead the next wave of innovation.
The industry is poised not only to reduce its own environmental impact but also to become a catalyst for global sustainability, demonstrating that blockchain can be both a technological marvel and a steward of the planet.
4. Zero-knowledge proofs are increasing privacy and security.
Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) are rapidly changing how people interact with the blockchain by enabling privacy and security without sacrificing transparency.
These cryptographic techniques allow one party to prove the validity of a statement (such as owning funds or being over 18) without revealing sensitive details.
This alone addresses critical concerns in decentralized finance (DeFi), identity management, and governance.
In 2025, ZKPs are driving a privacy revolution, with a projected market size of $10 billion by 2030.
By then, Web3 services alone are expected to require nearly 90 billion zero-knowledge proofs annually, facilitating approximately 83,000 transactions per second.
One area where ZKPs are making a huge impact is in identity management. Unlike traditional systems that expose sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers, ZKPs enable users to prove attributes without disclosing specific details.
For example, the Mina Protocol, with its 22 KB blockchain, utilizes recursive zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) for private identity verification, processing approximately 10,000 verifications daily as of 2024.
The integration of ZKPs is not limited to public blockchains. Enterprises are exploring zero-knowledge proof applications in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and supply chain management to ensure data privacy and compliance with regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
However, the rise of privacy-enhancing technologies like ZKPs has also attracted regulatory attention. This is particularly due to anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) measures.
It’ll be interesting to see how government policy shifts with the rise of this technology.
Blockchain Market Size
The global blockchain technology market was valued at $31.28 billion in 2025.
By 2032, the market is projected to reach $1 trillion, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 82.8%.
In 2025, total revenue in cryptocurrency is projected to reach $85.7 billion.
Sources: Grand View Research, Statista, Statista
Number of Blockchain Users
As of 2025, there are more than 560 million blockchain users worldwide. This represents approximately 3.9% of the global population.
Blockchain usage and cryptocurrency ownership are growing at a faster rate than ever, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 99%.
Source: Triple-A
How Many Blockchains Are There?
According to the latest available data, there are 4,080 distinct blockchains.
These include public, private, hybrid, and consortium blockchains, each serving various applications across industries.
Based on Routescan data, the top 50 blockchains, including Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, and Solana, account for over 90% of total on-chain transaction volume.
Below, you’ll find the top 10 blockchains ranked by Total Value Locked (TVL).
Rank | Name | TVL | Market Cap |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Ethereum | $121.26B | $315.56B |
2 | Tron | $8.34B | $26.06B |
3 | Solana | $6.28B | $80.64B |
4 | BNB Chain | $6.05B | $93.72B |
5 | Arbitrum | $3.41B | $1.75B |
6 | Avalanche | $1.27B | $8.50B |
7 | Polygon | $1.12B | $2.24B |
8 | Base | $881.16M | – |
9 | Sui | $829.08M | $10.78B |
10 | Optimism | $815.82M | $1.09B |
Sources: Epic Web3, CoinMarketCap