Key Takeaways:
Crypto market capitalization jumped 10.8% in April 2025, fueled by macro shifts, regulatory clarity, and growing ETF momentum.
Bitcoin, Solana, and SUI were April’s top performers; Ethereum and BNB saw mild pullbacks.
DeFi TVL rose, while NFT trading volume dropped to multi-year lows.
Key trends suggest shifting user preferences, stablecoin evolution, and institutional expansion across major L1 ecosystems.
Crypto Market Performance: Strong April Rebound Led by Bitcoin and SUI
April 2025 saw the total cryptocurrency market cap rise 10.8%, reversing months of sideways movement and underscoring renewed investor optimism. According to Binance Research, the rally was driven by several macro and regulatory catalysts, including the U.S. government’s 90-day pause on tariffs, easing market fears around global trade tensions.
Bitcoin (BTC) rebounded sharply from a low near $75,000, ending the month above $90,000 — reflecting its continued role as a hedge against economic uncertainty. Strong inflows into spot BTC ETFs and Arizona’s new strategic Bitcoin reserve law also signaled growing institutional confidence.
Top Gainers in April 2025
SUI: +54% — boosted by Grayscale trust exposure and a Mastercard partnership
Solana (SOL): +15.2% — supported by Canada’s first SOL ETF and U.S. filings
Bitcoin (BTC): +13.2% — ETF inflows, inflation hedging, and dollar weakness
Chainlink (LINK): +7.6% — increased CCIP adoption and exchange outflows
XRP: +5% — backed by Ripple's RLUSD stablecoin and ETF speculation
ADA, DOGE, TRX: Moderate gains amid ETF optimism and growing use cases
Lagging Performers
Ethereum (ETH): -2.6% — dragged by rising competition and slow layer-2 user growth despite optimism around the Pectra upgrade
BNB: -0.4% — muted performance despite a successful Lorentz hard fork, $916M token burn, and DeFi expansion via new projects like Lista Lending
DeFi Growth Continues as Regulatory Winds Shift
The Total Value Locked (TVL) in DeFi rose 3.3% in April, helped by a rollback of IRS reporting rules for DeFi platforms and progress on the STABLE Act, which aims to regulate USD-pegged stablecoins while banning algorithmic variants.
BNB Chain, Solana, and Tron gained TVL.
Ethereum and Arbitrum lost ground as users prioritized speed and affordability.
USDC grew its stablecoin market share to 26.2%, overtaking USDT in several ecosystems.
NFT Market Sees Sharp Decline
Despite the broader crypto rally, NFT sales volume fell 16.3%, hitting a four-year low in unique buyers.
Ethereum NFT sales plunged 42.7%, although it remains the top chain by volume.
Polygon surged to second place, driven by tokenized collectibles on Courtyard.
Blue-chip collections like Bored Ape Yacht Club defied the trend, with ~40% growth in April sales.
OpenSea reclaimed the top marketplace spot, attracting 2.1 million active wallets, while Magic Eden expanded via acquisitions.
Looking Ahead: Key Events and Unlocks in May 2025
Binance Research also flagged key developments for May:
Major token unlocks across multiple projects could impact supply dynamics.
Protocol upgrades, L2 rollouts, and ongoing ETF applications may shape market sentiment through the month.
For more insights and data, Binance Research recommends monitoring macroeconomic indicators, ETF approval timelines, and stablecoin regulatory frameworks.
Conclusion:
April’s crypto rebound reflects a growing divergence from traditional markets, driven by favorable macro shifts and institutional participation. While Bitcoin and select altcoins led performance, Ethereum and the NFT sector showed signs of relative weakness. With regulatory tailwinds and rising DeFi momentum, May 2025 could continue the trend — especially as the industry eyes the $100,000 BTC milestone.
