Navigating Crypto & Blockchain in 2025: A Guide for Investors

Navigating Crypto & Blockchain in 2025: A Guide for Investors
For years, cryptocurrency was often dismissed as a passing fad or a playground for speculators. Born in 2009 during a global financial crisis, Bitcoin initially served as a response to widespread distrust in traditional banks. It remained a niche interest for hobbyists and early adopters, an experiment many believed wouldn't last. By 2017, the question shifted from "Is crypto real?" to a debate about its legitimacy, as Bitcoin surged past $20,000 and thousands of new "altcoins" emerged. This period attracted mainstream attention but also sparked skepticism, leading regulators to issue warnings while banks quietly considered digital assets as both a threat and an opportunity. The pandemic-era boom in 2021 saw crypto enter a second wave of mass attention. Bitcoin nearly hit $69,000, NFTs became mainstream with high-profile sales, and major companies like Tesla invested in Bitcoin. Governments began to take the sector seriously, recognizing its potential for innovat…