But if you step back and look at the bigger picture, it wasn’t just about market swings and new records. It was a year that quietly reinforced crypto’s place in the financial landscape, changing how we think about money, technology, and the future.

Early 2024: Bitcoin’s Spot ETF Approval Kicks Off the Year

The first big moment of 2024 came early in January with the approval of Bitcoin Spot ETFs, and it didn’t just make waves—it sent shockwaves through the crypto world. For years, Bitcoin had been viewed as a volatile, high-risk asset, a playground for the brave and the curious. But this was different. The ETF approval was a game-changer, opening the door for institutional investors and retail traders to step in.

Suddenly, Bitcoin wasn’t just a speculative investment but a legitimate, mainstream financial asset. The ability to buy Bitcoin through an exchange-traded fund meant that traditional investors could dive into crypto without dealing with the usual complexities of wallets and exchanges. With the ETF, Bitcoin became just another asset you could trade on the market.

Mid 2024: Ethereum’s Spot ETFs and the Rise of Altcoins

By the middle of the year, the momentum didn’t slow down. Ethereum made its own coming out in May with the approval of Ethereum Spot ETFs, following the big brother’s lead. For Ethereum, the introduction of spot ETFs opened the floodgates for more institutional interest, and analysts predicted that this would drive Ethereum’s price to new heights.

Some say, it’s just the beginning and a wave of crypto ETFs will rise up next year.

Meanwhile, altcoins were having their moment in the spotlight. Solana and Fetch.ai started to gain serious traction. Solana, in particular, saw a surge in value—rising by 151.02%—as its scalability and Layer 2 solutions made it a strong contender in the race for the next big blockchain.

Investors who had been fixated on Bitcoin and Ethereum began looking at altcoins as viable alternatives, and alt-season was officially back.

End of 2024: Bitcoin’s Meteoric Rise and Political Influence

As the year drew to a close, Bitcoin’s dominance was undeniable. December 17th saw Bitcoin hitting a new all-time high of $107,756.83, a milestone that no one could have predicted just a year before.

The catalyst for this surge was tied to the political climate, particularly Donald Trump’s victory in the election. His pro-crypto stance and promises of a more favorable regulatory environment created a surge of optimism in the market. Investors believed that Trump’s administration would usher in a new era of crypto-friendly policies, giving Bitcoin the regulatory support it needed to break out.

What Else?

Meme Coin Mania

2024 has seen meme coins grow from internet novelties to powerful financial instruments. Tokens like PEPE, FLOKI, and Dogwifhat have gained massive traction, supported by passionate communities that view them as remarkable speculative investments and, at the same, time cultural symbols in the crypto space.

Meme coins also brought controversy. One notable case involved US Representative Michael Collins from Georgia, who, according to his financial report, has been trading the Ski Mask Dog token. Collins is believed to have spent between $1,000 and $15,000 on the coin, highlighting that even politicians are getting involved in the meme coin craze.

In addition to political figures, influencers have also played a role in promoting meme coins, sometimes with questionable motives. Haley Welch, a TikTok influencer, launched $HAWK, a meme coin that briefly reached a $500 million market cap before plummeting to just $25 million. It was later revealed that most of the coin’s supply was controlled by a small group of wallets, and when these were sold off, the price crashed.

Welch, along with other influencers, has been criticized for promoting projects that ended up financially damaging their followers.

Lastly, the rise of meme coins also emphasizes the need for better regulation and ethical standards within the crypto space. The case of Pump.fun, a platform designed to easily launch meme coins, took a disturbing turn when it became a host for inappropriate live stream content. We’ve seen firsthand that the crypto industry still has significant room for improvement when it comes to safety, ethics, and responsible innovation.

The Rise of AI x Crypto

Beyond the price movements and ETF approvals, 2024 was a year of innovation, especially with the intersection of AI and crypto. AI began to play a central role in solving some of the industry’s toughest challenges, like smart contract audits and securing DeFi platforms.

As AI developed, crypto projects leveraged its power to make blockchain technology more secure, efficient, and scalable. AI was also seen as a potential solution to the rise of deepfakes, with crypto offering tools to verify content and create economic incentives for more trustworthy AI models.