The crypto landscape is entering a transformative phase in 2025, marked by an increasing wave of mergers and acquisitions as projects and tokens merge to enhance product-market fit. Dan Novaes, co-founder of the loyalty platform EARN’M, highlighted this trend in a recent interview , describing it as a natural progression for a maturing industry. Novaes identified over-tokenization as a significant challenge, particularly for utility-based altcoins. “Altcoins have generally been the worst performing sector of newly launched coins,” he noted, pointing to the diminishing speculative appeal of altcoins in favor of memecoins and emerging trends. The EARN’M executive likened this consolidation to the early days of mobile app development, where overcrowding led to the survival of the most adaptable platforms. This consolidation phase is further bolstered by the incoming Trump administration’s pro-crypto stance . With deregulation and a cabinet supportive of blockchain innovation, the stage is set for a surge in mergers and acquisitions among startups and established players. A Shift Towards Consolidation As the crypto market grapples with saturation, many projects are opting to merge rather than compete. Novaes emphasized that this trend is not a sign of decline but rather an indication of a more mature and sustainable ecosystem. The shift comes at a time when speculative investments in altcoins have been overshadowed by high-profile memecoins and other viral narratives, leaving many utility-based projects struggling to maintain relevance. The parallels drawn between crypto and early mobile app markets suggest that the current phase of consolidation will streamline offerings, making the industry more efficient and accessible. Major Acquisitions Signal Maturing Crypto Market Already, the wave of acquisitions is underway. Leading fiat-to-crypto onramp company MoonPay recently acquired Helio , a crypto payment processor, for $175 million. This deal aims to simplify transactions for merchants and expand MoonPay’s service offerings. Similarly, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis announced its $150 million acquisition of fraud prevention company Alterya. Alterya’s AI-driven fraud detection technology, which identified over $10 billion in scams last year, will bolster Chainalysis’ capabilities in combating rising crypto-related fraud. Even larger players are drawing interest. Crypto options exchange Deribit, reportedly valued at $5 billion , has attracted several buyout offers. While no sale is currently in progress, the interest underscores the appetite for strategic acquisitions in this rapidly evolving market. The post 2025 Poised for Crypto Industry Consolidation, Expert Believes appeared first on TheCoinrise.com .
