Hodl Up! Your weekly crypto catch up: Week 1
Welcome to 2025, chads and degens. Will this be the year when crypto finally becomes the mainstream force we'd always hoped it would, we can only speculate. But first, we look back at our beloved 2024
Welcome to the first HodlUp! of 2025 my friends. In this week’s edition, we will take a look at the beautiful year that was 2024 and the major events in our industry that either shook or rocked our worlds.
From record breaking ETFs to the crypto president; from Bitcoin halving to a $100,000 $BTC - 2024 was definitely as exciting as any other year in the industry, if not more!
NOTE: NOTHING EVER MENTIONED IN ANY OF OUR CRYPTO TALK’s POSTS/NEWSLETTERS/CONTENT IS FINANCIAL ADVICE. ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH.
The institutions are here
Bitcoin 1: 0 Gold
At least that was the narrative when the Bitcoin Spot ETF shattered all records set by the gold ETF. Of course these are different times and comparisons don’t do the real story a justice but nevertheless, Bitcoin ETFs were huge in 2024 and paved the way for the record breaking $100,000 Bitcoin that we saw at the end of the year.
Bitcoin ETFs and institutional adoption. These developments didn't just make headlines—they changed the game for crypto.
Bitcoin ETFs, especially BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, brought Bitcoin to the masses in a way we’ve never seen before. With billions in inflows, ETFs made it super easy for people and institutions to invest in Bitcoin without needing to hold it directly. No wallets, no keys, just Bitcoin exposure in a traditional investment package. This helped Bitcoin shed its “wild west” image and gain legitimacy in the eyes of mainstream investors.
Institutions didn’t hold back either. Big players like Fidelity and Grayscale doubled down on Bitcoin-related products. Corporations, inspired by the likes of Tesla, added Bitcoin to their balance sheets, boosting confidence in its long-term value. This steady stream of institutional money helped stabilize Bitcoin’s price and pushed its market cap to all-time highs.
Beyond price, these developments sparked more trust in blockchain tech and opened the door for innovative use cases. Bitcoin wasn’t just an asset anymore—it became a key player in financial portfolios worldwide.
Trump and The Republicans - The Crypto Government ?
Donald Trump’s stance on Bitcoin and crypto during the 2024 elections marked a significant shift compared to his previous tenure as president. He promised to position the United States as a global leader in cryptocurrency innovation, emphasizing the need for the country to stay ahead of competitors like China. His proposed initiatives included creating a balanced regulatory framework that promotes growth while addressing environmental concerns, such as crypto mining’s energy consumption.
One of Trump’s bold pledges was to block the development of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) and to create a presidential advisory council focused on Bitcoin and crypto. He also vowed to “shut down Operation Chokepoint 2.0,” a term used by critics to describe perceived government actions stifling crypto-related businesses.
Trump’s campaign highlighted his intent to use crypto as a strategic tool for enhancing U.S. economic and technological leadership. Collaborating with figures like Senator Cynthia Lummis, he aimed to make the “Bitcoin race” a national priority, likening it to the space race of the mid-20th century.
While these promises garnered support from crypto advocates, critics pointed out potential challenges, such as the feasibility of implementing sweeping changes and balancing broader economic policies.
The Best Of The Rest
Middle schooler rugs people for $30,000. The crypto community fights back by doxxing entire family and taking his coin into millions of market cap.
Kabosu, the iconic Dogecoin dog passed away at 19. An ICON, indeed.
Jack Dorsey attending Bitcoin conference in Africa looking like.. well Jack Dorsey.
A look at the markets - 2024
The TOTAL market cap pumped to nearly 2x from 1.75T to 3.5T at the time of writing, not bad I’d say, not bad. But we want $4T right?
Biggest Winner
OM: There’s a very clear winner here. OM 0.00%↑ had a MC of just $50M when 2024 started and is right now at $3.8B. As I said, a very clear winner.
We’ll not have a crazy crypto content section this week as we’ve already covered up some crazy events from 2024 but we will definitely have that from next week onwards. Till then, STAY SAFU and have a great 2025!