Intro to blockchain trends 🎬
1. Blockchain across industries 🏗️
Finance
Healthcare
Supply chain
Gaming
2. Maturing regulation ⚖️
3. DeFi goes mainstream 🧑‍💻
4. Blockchain-as-a-service ⚙️
Navigate blockchain trends

Top 4 blockchain trends to watch in 2025

By Kraken Learn team
7 min
28. Jan. 2025
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Key takeaways 🔑
  1. Clear crypto regulations could spark increased interest in cryptocurrency, and could result in 20% of Americans engaging further with the space, according to a recent survey. (Kraken)

  2. Blockchain adoption is accelerating across major sectors like finance, healthcare and supply chain management.

  3. Industry analysts expect the global blockchain technology market to increase toy $1,000 billion USD by 2032, highlighting its growing impact and adoption across industries worldwide. (Statista)

  4. Central banks around the world are exploring digital assets, with monetary policy experts predicting that 15 central banks could issue their own digital currencies by 2030. (BIS)

  5. Researchers project the global DeFi market could reach $231 billion by 2030, with its market share in digital assets continuing to rise globally. (Grand View Research)

  6. Industry leaders expect the blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) market to grow as more companies adopt the technology in an effort to enhance efficiency and safeguard operations. (Fortune Business Insights)

  7. Decentralized AI platforms are emerging to challenge big tech control, offering new ways for businesses to harness AI-powered solutions.

Intro to blockchain trends 🎬

As blockchain technology expands beyond cryptocurrency, new innovations and trends continue to shape the future development of the industry.

From finance and healthcare to supply chain management and beyond, industry leaders are actively exploring how decentralization can transform business operations, drive efficiency and enhance security.

With the ability to drive efficiency in nearly every sector of the economy, blockchain is poised to redefine how businesses function and information is shared. 

As we look toward the future of this emerging space, understanding these trends is crucial for staying ahead in the rapidly evolving blockchain landscape.

1. Blockchain adoption accelerates across major industries 🏗️

The use of blockchain is rapidly expanding beyond cryptocurrency. As we head toward 2025, more industries are exploring how blockchain can boost transparency, improve efficiency and enhance security.

A graphic highlighting the different sectors impacted by blockchain technology.

Finance

In the finance sector, blockchain technology offers several advantages, such as faster settlement of funds, enhanced transparency for record-keeping, and continuous, tamper-resistant transaction processing. These benefits are helping to reshape financial systems by providing greater efficiency and security.

Blockchain protocols like Chainlink (LINK) and Pyth Network (PYTH) play a crucial role within this system. They act as bridges, connecting blockchain smart contracts to real-world data. These so-called blockchain oracles help to ensure blockchains can access accurate, real-time information to execute transactions or decisions automatically, without the need for human intervention.

Oracles are an important part of the decentralized finance ecosystem and help to power the variety of decentralized applications (dApps) that are powering a new generation of financial freedom and sovereignty.

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Healthcare

The healthcare industry is also seeing the benefits of blockchain technology, leveraging distributed ledgers to secure patient data and improve compatibility between providers. This can lead to enhanced data privacy, quicker access to patient records and reduced administrative errors.

By 2032, the blockchain healthcare market is projected to reach $106.1 billion, thanks to the technology helping to improve compliance, reduce fraud and enhance transparency across the industry.

Blockchain projects such as MediBloc (MED), which operates on its proprietary blockchain, and Medicalchain (MTN), built on the Ethereum network, are developing decentralized applications purpose built for healthcare management.

Supply chain

The supply chain sector is also benefiting from blockchain’s transparency and operational efficiencies. Projects such as NEAR Protocol (NEAR) are driving this change by providing the infrastructure for decentralized applications that can help with real-time tracking and verification of goods as they move through supply chains. 

Leveraging these sorts of decentralized platforms, rather than proprietary centralized databases, allows companies to enhance data accuracy and improve visibility across the supply chain.

As a result, it can help reduce errors, minimize fraud, and strengthen trust among partners, ultimately streamlining operations and driving greater efficiency.

Gaming

In industries like gaming, Polygon (MATIC) can help blockchain gaming with scalability and low transaction fees, enabling true ownership of in-game assets.

DappRadar reports that blockchain based play-to-earn gaming accounted for 26% of Q3 2024 dApp activity in Web3, underscoring how blockchain is reshaping the gaming space.

From tracking the ownership of digital collectibles rewarded to players for their in-game achievements, to powering immersive experiences that are not dependent on a centralized server, blockchain is being used in a variety of innovative ways within the gaming industry.

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2. Regulation paving the way for secure and scalable blockchain growth ⚖️

As blockchain continues to grow globally, regulatory frameworks are emerging to provide clarity and confidence in the digital asset ecosystem.

Our Investing in Cryptocurrency Survey found that 20% of respondents said clear crypto regulations would increase their interest in cryptocurrency, highlighting the critical role of regulatory certainty in driving market participation. 

In Europe, the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) aims to boost transparency and security in the crypto industry, creating a clearer regulatory path for companies and attracting institutional investors. Institutional investors bring significant capital and expertise, accelerating the growth and development of the blockchain ecosystem.

All around the world, central banks are exploring the idea of issuing Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) predicts that 15 central banks could issue their own digital currencies by 2030, which could reshape digital payments and establish greater trust in the importance of blockchain technology. 

Clearer crypto regulations could also drive the adoption of CBDCs by providing a stable and predictable environment for digital currencies, thereby reinforcing blockchain’s role in the broader financial ecosystem.

As regulations evolve, blockchain technology is increasingly positioned for mainstream adoption, promoting confidence and expanding its use across various sectors.

3. Decentralized finance (DeFi) gains mainstream traction 🧑‍💻

Decentralized finance (DeFi) is gaining traction as an alternative to traditional finance by eliminating the need for centrally controlled intermediaries like banks, brokers and payment processors. This can help increase accessibility, transparency and cost efficiency compared to the traditional financial system. 

DeFi platforms like Aave (AAVE), Uniswap (UNI) and Jupiter (JUP) are replacing bankers, brokers and middlemen with smart contracts. In doing so, they are allowing users to lend, trade and borrow without the need for centralized entities.

In 2024, DeFi adoption surged, with these platforms becoming widely used for decentralized lending and trading. Investors can use a crypto exchange like Kraken to buy, sell and trade the DeFi tokens that power these ecosystems.

The benefits of DeFi — lower fees, faster transactions and greater accessibility — are attracting more attention from both individual and institutional investors. Reports project the global DeFi market could reach $231 billion by 2030, with its market share within digital assets continuing to rise worldwide.

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4. Blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) and AI optimize business operations and drive profitability ⚙️

Blockchain-as-a-service (BaaS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are transforming business operations by streamlining processes, boosting security and enabling automation.

The BaaS market is projected to grow to $25 billion USD by 2027 as more companies adopt this model in an effort to enhance efficiency and safeguard operations.

Meanwhile, AI's integration with blockchain is unlocking new opportunities for business automation, with a projected growth to $973 million USD by 2027

Combining AI with blockchain can enhance data privacy, scalability and resilience. AI can help improve scalability by automating processes and optimizing operations, while blockchain’s decentralized nature offers greater resilience by reducing risks associated with centralization.

Decentralized platforms are emerging to challenge big tech control, by offering more transparency, security and efficiency in technological ecosystems.

Kraken provides access to this rapidly evolving field of AI crypto tokens. Protocols like Fetch.ai (FET) and Internet Computer Protocol (ICP) are enabling decentralized AI solutions and allowing users to engage with the growing AI ecosystem.

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Navigate blockchain trends and invest with Kraken 🗺️

Staying informed on blockchain trends is key to making smart investment decisions. By staying proactive, you can confidently navigate this rapidly evolving market and seize new opportunities.

At Kraken, our secure and user-friendly platform helps you stay ahead of the latest blockchain trends. Create your Kraken account today to explore, buy and trade top blockchain assets, cryptocurrencies and more.

Disclaimer

These materials are for general information purposes only and are not investment advice or a recommendation or solicitation to buy, sell, stake, or hold any cryptoasset or to engage in any specific trading strategy. Kraken makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of any such information and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Kraken does not and will not work to increase or decrease the price of any particular cryptoasset it makes available. Some crypto products and markets are unregulated, and you may not be protected by government compensation and/or regulatory protection schemes. The unpredictable nature of the cryptoasset markets can lead to loss of funds. Tax may be payable on any return and/or on any increase in the value of your cryptoassets and you should seek independent advice on your taxation position. Geographic restrictions may apply.