The cryptocurrency market has delivered a complex, yet ultimately explosive performance in 2025. While the S&P 500 has seen strong, double-digit gains, delivering approximately 16.5% gain year to date, subsequent surges in the digital asset space have delivered returns that dramatically eclipse traditional indices. 
Crypto’s resilience this year has been underpinned by growing institutional adoption and a friendlier regulatory backdrop for exchange-traded products. 

Notably, Bitcoin reached an all-time high above $126,000 in early October, with select crypto-related Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) having dramatically outpaced broad equity indexes on a year-to-date basis, making them worthy of consideration for a year-end watchlist.

What Fueled the Crypto Rally in 2025?

Several key drivers propelled the crypto market to new heights this year:

•    Mainstream Institutional Adoption: 2025 saw digital assets transition further into the mainstream. Notably, major institutions like Fidelity, JPMorgan, and BlackRock rolled out or expanded crypto offerings, while corporations and even governments considered adding crypto to their treasuries.

•    Regulatory Support and Clarity: A significant shift in the U.S. regulatory environment, including the passage of crypto-friendly legislation like the GENIUS Act, established in July this year, provided builders and investors with greater confidence and clarity.

•    Macroeconomic Environment: Growing expectations for interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and an end to quantitative tightening fueled a general risk-on sentiment across financial markets, greatly benefiting the highly sensitive crypto market.

Outlook for Crypto Market in 2026

While the cryptocurrency market continues to face headwinds in the form of high correlation with equity markets and sensitivity to macroeconomic policy, it is widely anticipated to continue its bullish momentum into 2026. 

To this end, JPMorgan analysts published a new forecast recently, where they anticipate Bitcoin to reach as high as $170,000 within the next six to 12 months. 
On the other hand, British multinational bank Standard Chartered reduced its Bitcoin price predictions for both year-end 2025 and 2026 on Dec. 9, 2025. The bank halved its bitcoin projection from $300,000 to $150,000 for year-end 2026 (as per a report by Market Watch). According to a Standard Chartered analyst, Geoffrey Kendrick, the downgrade was “a recalibration of demand expectations” following weaker ETF inflows and reduced corporate accumulation (as stated by The Street, cited in Yahoo Finance).

Seems like the crypto market’s sharp sell-off last month encouraged Standard Chartered to cut down its Bitcoin projection for the next year.  Nevertheless, even if we consider Standard Chartered’s reduced price outlook of $150,000, it will be a new all-time high for Bitcoin. 

With Bitcoin (BTC) remaining the most recognized and widely held cryptocurrency worldwide, we can thus expect the crypto market to remain buoyant in the near term.

Crypto ETFs Worthy of Your Watchlist

U.S. crypto ETFs have seen record demand in 2025, with CFRA Research estimating that crypto ETFs attracted $29.4 billion in inflows through Aug. 11, 2025, signaling that more traditional investors are using ETFs as their primary access point to digital assets.

Amid this backdrop, and given the bullish outlook for the crypto market in 2026, the following crypto ETFs deserve a place on the watchlist of any prudent investor looking to capture the market’s high-beta growth as the year winds down:

Nicholas Crypto Income ETF (BLOX Quick QuoteBLOX - Free Report)

This fund, which has $219.8 million in assets, is an actively managed ETF that provides exposure to blockchain technology and allows investors to gain exposure to both Bitcoin and Ether through direct or indirect ownership of U.S.-listed ETFs.

BLOX has surged 26% year to date. The fund charges 103 basis points (bps) as fees.

Global X Blockchain ETF (BKCH Quick QuoteBKCH - Free Report)

This fund, with net assets worth $372.1 million, offers exposure to companies positioned to benefit from the increased adoption of blockchain technology, including companies in digital asset mining, blockchain & digital asset transactions, blockchain applications, blockchain & digital asset hardware, and blockchain & digital asset integration.

BKCH has soared 61.2% year to date. The fund charges 50 bps as fees.

SPDR Galaxy Digital Asset Ecosystem ETF (DECO Quick QuoteDECO - Free Report)

This fund, with assets under management (AUM) worth $15 million, is an actively managed ETF that offers exposure to companies that stand to benefit from the growing adoption of the blockchain and cryptocurrency industries, as well as cryptocurrency exposures through ETFs and futures.

DECO has soared 60.4% year to date. The fund charges 65 bps as fees. 

VanEck Onchain Economy ETF (NODE Quick QuoteNODE - Free Report)

This fund, with assets worth $54.8 million, is an actively managed ETF that provides exposure to companies and instruments that are meaningfully tied to the on-chain economy, including blockchain infrastructure, digital asset services and digital asset exposure.

NODE has gained 49.3% year to date. The fund charges 69 bps as fees.

Schwab Crypto Thematic ETF (STCE Quick QuoteSTCE - Free Report)

This fund, with net assets worth $305 million, provides exposure to companies that may benefit from the development or utilization of cryptocurrencies (including bitcoin) and other digital assets. 

STCE has surged 67.5% year to date. The fund charges 30 bps as fees.