Crypto’s Biggest Stories of 2025 | End-of-Year Recap (Token Narratives Ep. 85)

2025 reshaped crypto.

In this end-of-year episode of Token Narratives, the Bitcoin.com News editorial team reveals its official Top 5 picks across the most important categories of the year — from regulation and stablecoins to blockchains, narratives, and the people who shaped the industry.

This episode covers:

• The biggest crypto news stories of 2025

• The narratives that defined the market

• The most important blockchains

• The biggest surprises of the year

• Crypto’s most influential voices

• Person of the Year

Watch to understand what really mattered in crypto this year — and why these decisions will still be relevant in 2026.

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00:00 Bitcoin’s Yearly Performance and Institutional Adoption

04:54 Major Hacks and Security Concerns in Crypto

10:06 Political Developments Impacting Crypto: Ross Ulbricht’s Pardon

14:57 The Genius Act and Its Implications for Stablecoins

20:07 Emerging Narratives: Perpetual DEXs and Market Cycles

24:52 The Rise of Digital Asset Treasury Companies

30:00 Revenue Narratives and the Future of Token Economics

35:05 Stablecoins: The Dominant Narrative of 2025

47:43 Tron: The Dark Horse of Blockchains

50:10 Base: The Rising Ethereum Layer 2

52:07 Solana: From Hype to Institutional Interest

55:11 Hyperliquid: The Perpetual DEX Revolution

58:30 Zcash: The Unexpected Comeback

01:01:42 Surprises of the Year: Market Shocks and Innovations

01:10:21 KOLs of the Year: Influencers Shaping Crypto Narratives

01:25:35 The Impact of Michael Saylor on Bitcoin Awareness

01:27:32 Ripple’s Resilience and Brad Garlinghouse’s Leadership

01:33:00 Brian Armstrong and Coinbase’s Fight Against the SEC

01:36:56 Shane Copeland and the Rise of Polymarket

01:41:06 Tether’s Dominance and Paulo Arduino’s Vision

01:46:18 Donald Trump: The Unexpected Crypto Influencer