Bitcoin is currently priced at $96,565, up +2.16% in the past 24 hours, while Ethereum trades at $3,225, up +2.80%. The Fear and Greed Index remains balanced at 70, indicating a neutral market sentiment despite recent price fluctuations. Crypto markets in 2025 show rapid growth across stablecoins, altcoin ETFs, and AI-focused tokens. USDC reached a colossal $20 trillion in cumulative transaction volume in 2024. JPMorgan forecasts billions of dollars possibly flowing into Solana and XRP ETFs once approved. AI16Z surged 36% after recovering from oversold levels. XRP also flipped Tether to become the third-largest crypto by market cap. This article summarizes the key developments, quotes, and data shaping these trends.
What’s Trending in the Crypto Community?
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USDC Hits $20 Trillion in cumulative transaction volume (TVL) in 2024. SEC faces a crucial deadline to appeal Ripple’s legal win affecting XRP demand and the U.S. crypto market. Ripple executives expect an appeal even as SEC Chair Gensler departs.
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Italian bank Intesa Sanpaolo purchased 11 BTC, worth approximately €1 million.
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Artificial intelligence company Genius Group announced a $33 million share offering to purchase Bitcoin
Read more: BlackRock Eyes Solana ETF: A Game-Changer for Crypto Adoption
Crypto Fear & Greed Index | Source: Alternative.me
Trending Tokens of the Day
Top 24-Hour Performers
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USDC Hits $20 Trillion in TVL
Source: KuCoin
USD Coin (USDC) registered more than $20 trillion in total transaction volume in 2024, according to a report by Circle. Monthly transaction volume in November 2024 alone surpassed $1 trillion. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire stated:“Businesses large and small are building innovative products and services with USDC and Circle’s technology, fueling mainstream adoption that will lead to a faster, stronger, and more resilient internet-based financial system.”
Stablecoin Market Cap Source: DefiLlama
The report highlights USDC’s role as a digital version of the US dollar, with circulation expanding 78% year-over-year. Use cases include cross-border payments, DeFi integrations, and e-commerce solutions. Circle’s data shows $850 billion bridged from traditional finance into decentralized markets since USDC’s launch. According to Artemis, USDC’s market cap rose 61% in 2024, closing December near $39 billion, with transfer volume growing 241% from $22.7 billion to $77.5 billion. Circle credits regulatory advancements, faster blockchains, and new stablecoin applications for this surge.
JPMorgan Sees $14 Billion Inflows for Solana, XRP ETFs
SOL and XRP ETPs could attract $3–8 billion. Source: JP Morgan
A January 13th, 2025, JPMorgan report projects big inflows for SOL and XRP once spot ETFs receive regulatory approval. The bank compared their potential to Bitcoin and Ethereum’s early ETP launches. It states:
“When applying these so-called ‘adoption rates’ to SOL and XRP, we see SOL attracting roughly $3 billion-$6 billion of net assets and XRP gathering $4 billion-$8 billion in net new assets.”
Spot Bitcoin ETFs topped $110 billion in holdings within one year, spurring new capital inflows that pushed BTC to $50,000 by mid-February 2024. Analysts expect a similar boost for SOL and XRP if a friendlier US administration finalizes approvals.
AI16Z Surges 36%
AI16Z Price Analysis. Source: TradingView.
AI16Z climbed 36% in 24 hours to a $1.4 billion market cap, becoming the second-largest AI agents coin behind VIRTUAL. The RSI jumped from 28.8 to 52.4, signaling a move from oversold to neutral.
AI16Z RSI. Source: TradingView
The DMI revealed bullish pressure, with +DI climbing to 23.7 while -DI fell from 34.7 to 21. ADX dropped to 25.6 from 32.5, indicating a weaker trend but still above the 25 threshold. “AI16Z price could test the next resistance at $1.39. A successful break above this level could open the door for further gains, potentially pushing the price up to $1.74,” the report notes. However, if the uptrend fails, support at $0.98 may come into play.
AI16Z DMI. Source: TradingView.
Read more: Blockchain-Powered AI Agent ai16z Reaches $1.5 Billion Market Cap
XRP Flips Tether, Reaches $155 Billion Market Cap; SEC vs. Ripple Appeal Deadline
Source: CoinGecko
XRP surpassed Tether’s market cap again, climbing to about $138.98 billion by Jan. 3 and later breaching $155 billion. XRP trades near $2.43, up 17% in the past 14 days. Over the past year, XRP soared almost 280%. XRP’s rise follows US presidential election optimism about pro-crypto policies. Speculation on an XRP ETF also boosted sentiment. On Dec. 2, WisdomTree joined Bitwise, Canary Capital, and 21Shares in filing for a spot XRP ETF. Ripple’s newly launched RLUSD stablecoin further supports this ecosystem, expanding cross-border payments for enterprise clients. Meanwhile, Tether remains the biggest stablecoin with a 67.21% share of the $204 billion market. However, it faces scrutiny under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. Analysts cite stablecoin regulations and potential delistings as factors influencing Tether’s market share.
SEC vs. Ripple Appeal Deadline: What Lies Ahead?
January 15 is a crucial day for the SEC vs Ripple legal battle and the broader US digital asset landscape The SEC must submit its appeal-related opening brief today. Market watchers are keenly observing whether the SEC will challenge the ruling on Programmatic Sales of XRP, a key verdict that influences whether XRP can be legally classified as a security.
In July 2023, Judge Analisa Torres determined that programmatic sales of XRP did not meet one of the essential criteria in the Howey Test. This decision paved the way for US-based crypto exchanges to relist XRP and for ETF sponsors to file for XRP-spot ETFs in the United States, potentially driving up market demand.
Notably, this deadline arrives mere days before SEC Chair Gary Gensler steps down. Gensler’s imminent departure opens the door for a Trump-appointed successor to potentially shift the SEC’s stance on crypto enforcement.
The SEC is widely expected to move forward with its appeal. In recent weeks, Gensler has bolstered the agency’s litigation division by assigning high-profile crypto litigators to top roles. Meanwhile, he has yet to disclose findings from an Office of Inspector General (OIG) inquiry into possible crypto-related conflicts of interest involving Ethereum (ETH), Ripple, and XRP; findings that were shared with him in December.
An appeal may be relatively short-lived. Market participants predict that incoming SEC Chair Paul Atkins could alter course by withdrawing the appeal, aligning with a more crypto-friendly regulatory perspective.
Former SEC attorney Marc Fagal noted:
“The appeal will continue for now, and that process takes about a year. But there is the possibility that a new administration decides to move to dismiss the appeal. That’s not something I recall happening before, but it’s possible and maybe likely.”
Read more: XRP Price Prediction 2025 - Could XRP Cross $8 in 2025?
Conclusion
USDC’s record-breaking $20 trillion volume underscores growing demand for regulated stablecoins. JPMorgan’s forecast suggests Solana and XRP could gain billions from a new wave of ETF approvals if regulations become more supportive. AI16Z’s 36% surge signals renewed interest in AI-focused projects as it battles oversold conditions. XRP’s flip of Tether and strong price run highlight the ongoing race among top digital assets. Taken together, these developments reveal a fast-evolving crypto environment in 2025, with stablecoins, ETFs, and AI tokens all attracting fresh capital and mainstream attention.
Read More: Solana Price Prediction: Will SOL Overcome Current Hurdles to Reach $450?
