The increasing risk appetite of crypto investors has made new narratives more appealing. Some external factors could push these stories into the spotlight in 2025, although currently, they are still 'lying low'.
So what are these stories and why are they important? Is there any risk for investors when allocating capital to them?
Tokenized gold
Gold prices in 2025 continue to set new record highs. This trend creates a solid foundation for tokenized gold projects to attract investor attention.
Currently, the number of altcoins in this sector is still low. According to data from Coingecko, there are fewer than 20 different tokens. Among them, Tether Gold (XAUT) from Tether and PAX Gold (PAXG) from Paxos are leading the market capitalization rankings.
The biggest challenge for projects in this field is the requirement that each token must be backed by real gold, held by issuing organizations. This condition makes it difficult for startups and small businesses to participate.
Although tokenized gold is not entirely new, experts predict that rising gold prices will make this sector increasingly attractive.
In the context of global economic instability increasing demand for safe-haven assets, tokenized gold offers a diversification option for investment portfolios and integration with Web3.
In July, BioSig Technologies, Inc. and Streamex Exchange Corporation announced financial growth agreements up to $1.1 billion to implement a gold-backed treasury management strategy. Streamex will tokenize gold on the Solana blockchain.
Economist Peter Schiff commented:
"Tokenized gold will steal Bitcoin's lunch. And who needs a USD stablecoin when you can own a coin representing ownership of real gold?"
Robotics Token
According to Statista data, the global robotics industry is booming. The market value is expected to reach $73.01 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.49% during the 2025–2029 period.
This growth is driven by the demand for automation in manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics, particularly in large markets like the United States ($10.45 billion by 2025), China, and Japan.
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is enhancing the capabilities of robots and initiating a new wave of innovation.
The combination of robotics and crypto could become the next big trend, similar to the AI-crypto convergence earlier in 2023. Robotics tokens could represent equity in robotics companies or serve as funding instruments for innovation projects.
Coingecko has created a separate category for Robotics Token, but this sector is still in its infancy with a total market capitalization of only about $300 million.
Simon Dedic, Founder & Managing Partner of Moonrock Capital, predicts a bright future for the combination of crypto and robotics.
"Crypto x Robotics will be the retail bet on the biggest and most disruptive growth trend we have ever seen. Imagine being in the right place at the right time to bet on an industry that could reach trillions of dollars in the future, but currently has a market cap of only $244 million and is fully liquid. This can only happen in the crypto world."
Tokenized card games
The tokenized card game market is showing early signs of transition. Bitwise forecasts that this sector could boom similarly to how Polymarket has reshaped the prediction market.
Tyler Neville, co-host of Forward Guidance, pointed out a chart comparing the investment performance of various asset types from 2005 to around 2025. This chart includes Pokémon cards, Meta Platforms, baseball cards, and the S&P 500 index.
He humorously asked whether hedge funds could apply the P/E ratio (Price to Earnings) to Pokémon cards? This joke actually highlights a serious issue: while collectibles like Pokémon cards do not generate income, they are increasingly viewed as legitimate investments in the context of currency devaluation and volatile financial markets.
Short-term signals also show that trading volumes for tokenized card games from projects like Phygitals and Collector Crypt have surged in September.
These three stories — tokenized gold, robotics tokens, and tokenized card games — all have great potential thanks to the combination of traditional assets, advanced technology, and digital cultural trends. However, the durability of these stories and the amount of capital they attract will still depend on many factors, from project quality to investor interest.
