2024 Crypto OTC trading surged 106% YoY: Finery

According to Finery Markets experts, 2025 looks promising for the cryptocurrency industry after sectors such as OTC and stablecoin transactions experienced significant growth in 2024.

Finery Markets told crypto.news via email on Jan. 10 that over-the-counter trading volume grew by a staggering 106% year-on-year in 2024, as the digital asset market recorded new highs and euphoria.

The multinational, non-custodial crypto infrastructure company attributed the OTC rise to rising stablecoin demand and increased crypto-to-crypto migrations, particularly in the second half of 2024 and Q4.

Trading activity in Q4 significantly outpaced all other quarters. Leveraging successful BTC ETF launches, the second quarter was the only quarter to achieve triple-digit growth at 110%. This was followed by the 1st and 3rd quarters with growth rates of 80% and 78% respectively.

Clothing Markets

Transactions in stablecoins (tokens pegged to fiat currencies such as the US dollar) increased by 147% year-on-year, while stablecoins increased by 191% year-on-year in Q4 due to post-election sentiment.

Tether (USDT) maintained its dominance in the $210 billion stablecoin market, with its market cap rising to $140 billion for the first time in mid-December. Circle’s USD Coin (USDC) has also rebounded, reaching a market cap of $45 billion and approaching its peak of $56 billion before the bank run in early 2023.

Crypto outlook for 2025

Finery Markets agrees with the broader bullish trend for 2025 and predicts that institutional adoption of decentralized finance protocols could gain momentum if regulators provide clear guidelines for the industry.

The firm also highlighted the potential for tokenized real-world assets to attract interest, increase global liquidity and offer 24/7 trading to traditional markets.

Companies may also offer crypto-based loans, spurred by the success of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) exchange-traded funds. A global shift towards BTC reserves could push countries and organizations to rethink past “zero risk strategies.”

Spot Bitcoin ETFs on Wall Street now manage over $100 billion in investor assets. American policymakers, including President Donald Trump, have expressed interest in creating a national Bitcoin reserve.

Pro-crypto sentiment in US politics and economics creates an opportunity for the re-emergence of a more conducive environment for the digital asset industry. This could pave the way for rapid mass adoption in 2025, driven by demand from US-based institutions.

Finery Markets also noted potential challenges in Europe, stating that smaller centralized exchanges could face liquidity issues. The bloc’s new MiCA regulatory framework could push these platforms to embrace broker-dealer models and seek new partnerships to ensure compliance.