JPMorgan Says Bitcoin Will Steal the Show in 2025, Here's Why

Bullishness is high in the cryptocurrency market and investors see tailwinds developing for the wider space beyond just bitcoin.

Despite optimism in the cryptocurrency market and anticipation of broader tailwinds, JPMorgan believes bitcoin will remain the primary focus rather than altcoins. Here are four reasons why investors should be cautious about flocking to altcoins:

1. Future policy is still speculative, and the timing and impact of new regulation on crypto remain uncertain. While reduced regulatory oversight may boost sentiment, there's no guarantee that enthusiasm for decentralized finance will increase.

Moreover, the prospect of crypto reserves being established in the US and internationally could hinge solely on bitcoin. Some states are already considering bills to stockpile the token as a hedge against inflation, an idea that could gain traction in Trump's second term.

2. Bitcoin has shown clear dominance in the crypto fund space, especially regarding ETFs. Retail and institutional investors are expected to continue pouring資金 into spot bitcoin ETFs, largely due to the token's characterization as digital gold.

In December, Bernstein predicted that bitcoin will eventually replace gold as the world economy's premier store-of-value asset over the next decade.

According to JPMorgan, bitcoin attracted a hefty 35% share of the total $78 billion inflows into the crypto market in 2024.

This contrasts sharply with the relatively meager flows into spot ethereum ETFs, which have only managed to accumulate around $2.4 billion since launching in July.

The bank also anticipates limited inflows into future ETFs for altcoins, such as solana.

3. The bitcoin network is evolving to compete with tokens that have more defined use cases, such as ethereum.

Historically, bitcoin has been largely viewed as a buy-and-hold asset with minimal utility. However, programmers are working to expand its functionality, and new smart contract capabilities will enhance its utility.

In contrast, public blockchains like ethereum may face challenges, as large institutions could opt for private blockchains, which are developing customized solutions for institutional investors, JPMorgan notes.

4. New altcoin projects require time to mature and demonstrate sustained value.

Typically, decentralized initiatives experience early success driven by hype, but user activity eventually wanes, eroding a token's value.

To achieve longevity, projects must showcase enduring application benefits, the bank highlights.

Given this dynamic, investors shouldn't expect a direct repeat of the 2021 crypto bull run, where projects largely succeeded through token distribution.

Instead, the industry is shifting towards developing blockchain capabilities.

"In this model, profits from successful projects often benefit private corporations, diverting value from crypto tokens," JPMorgan concludes.

The bank also points out that MicroStrategy is only halfway through its plan to plow $42 billion into bitcoin.

The software firm has become renowned for its massive bitcoin accumulation strategy, using both equity and loan financing.

MicroStrategy's substantial purchases have been a key tailwind for the token, with the company accounting for 28% of crypto inflows last year.