The year 2024 has been a rollercoaster for the cryptocurrency market — marked by breakthrough innovations, surprising setbacks, and shifting narratives. As the year draws to a close, four leading investors — Haseeb Qureshi (Managing Partner at Dragonfly), Tom Schmidt (General Partner at Dragonfly), Robert Leshner (CEO of Superstate), and Tarun Chitra (Managing Partner at Robot Ventures) — gathered to reflect on the year’s most pivotal moments and offer insights into what lies ahead in 2025.
Their discussion covered everything from market winners and losers to technological breakthroughs, meme coin mania, and long-term predictions. Here’s a deep dive into their analysis.
The Biggest Winners of 2024
HyperLiquid: The Uniswap Moment of This Cycle
Haseeb Qureshi pointed to HyperLiquid as the standout winner of 2024. This decentralized perpetual exchange executed what many are calling the most successful token airdrop of the cycle — a true "Uniswap moment." Despite not being fully decentralized yet, its community-driven launch and strong technical execution impressed even top-tier VCs. Notably, nearly every major venture firm attempted to invest — only to be turned away.
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U.S. Crypto Founders: A Political Climate Shift
Robert Leshner highlighted a broader trend: the resurgence of U.S.-based crypto founders. After years of regulatory hostility, particularly from the SEC, there’s been a noticeable shift toward more favorable conditions. This political thaw has reinvigorated innovation and entrepreneurship within the American crypto ecosystem.
DeFi’s Strong Comeback
Tarun Chitra nominated DeFi as the year’s biggest winner. Once dismissed as stagnant during the bear market, DeFi has roared back with improved capital efficiency, new yield mechanisms, and rising revenues. Projects like Uniswap and emerging platforms have generated hundreds of millions in annual fees — outpacing many Layer 1 protocols.
Tether’s Quiet Dominance
Tom Schmidt made a contrarian pick: Tether (USDT). Far from collapsing under scrutiny, Tether has become one of the most profitable companies in crypto. With increasing transparency, regulatory compliance, and global adoption, it now plays a central role in both crypto markets and broader dollarization trends worldwide.
The Biggest Losers of 2024
Anti-Crypto Politicians and Regulators
Robert identified anti-crypto political forces — particularly certain members of Congress and the SEC — as major losers. Their attempts to suppress the industry backfired, galvanizing public support and fueling pro-crypto campaigns. The failure of initiatives like “Operation Choke Point 2.0” signaled a turning point in crypto’s political battle.
Failed Layer 2 and Appchain Hype
Tarun criticized the overhyped vision of thousands of Layer 2s and application-specific chains. The expectation that every dApp would spin off its own chain failed to materialize. Instead, users consolidated around dominant L2s like Base and Arbitrum, leaving most niche appchains underutilized or abandoned.
Financial Nihilism
Haseeb called out financial nihilism — the belief that all crypto is just meme speculation with no real tech value. With meme coin trading volume dropping from 30% to under 10% of total volume, and real infrastructure gaining traction, this mindset lost ground in 2024.
Those Who Quit Crypto for AI
Tom Schmidt noted that many developers and investors who abandoned crypto for artificial intelligence may now regret their decision. While AI remains promising, crypto’s resilience — especially with ETF approvals and institutional adoption — proved once again that staying committed pays off.
Surprising Success Stories
Pump.fun and BonkBot: Meme Coin Infrastructure Giants
Tarun was stunned by the rise of Pump.fun and BonkBot, both generating over $100 million in revenue within their first year. These platforms democratized meme coin creation and trading, particularly on Solana, turning retail participation into a scalable business model.
Solana and Base as Meme Hubs
Robert emphasized how Solana and Base emerged as dominant meme coin infrastructures due to low fees and seamless token deployment. Their rapid user adoption exceeded expectations, becoming launchpads for viral digital assets.
“Tap to Earn” and Security Improvements
Haseeb cited two unexpected positives: the brief but viral success of “tap-to-earn” games like Hamster Combat, and the absence of major DeFi or L1 hacks despite soaring TVL — a sign of maturing security practices.
Breakthrough Mechanisms in 2024
Yield Amplification
Robert praised yield amplification, used by projects like Ethena and Usual. By concentrating returns among a subset of users, these protocols can offer yields several times higher than underlying assets — a powerful incentive mechanism driving user growth.
Market Maker Lending Pools
Tarun highlighted Market Maker Lending Pools (e.g., GLP, JLP, HLP) as a game-changer for capital efficiency in decentralized perpetual exchanges. These pools allow LPs to earn yield while funding market makers — bridging a critical gap between CeFi and DeFi liquidity models.
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Notable Mentions: Memes, Transitions & Failures
Best Meme: Bonk and Pudgy Penguins
While Tarun chose Bonk for its marketing genius via BonkBot, Robert praised Pudgy Penguins for evolving from an NFT project into a full-fledged brand with toys, community events, and a successful token launch (PENGU).
Best Transformation: MicroStrategy and Babylon
Robert awarded MicroStrategy for perfecting its Bitcoin leverage strategy through convertible bonds. Tarun highlighted Babylon, which transformed from a simple timestamping service into a $6B+ TVL protocol using Bitcoin staking.
Biggest Failures: Bitcoin L2s & Celebrity Coins
Haseeb labeled Bitcoin Layer 2s as ghost towns — failing to attract developers or users despite high expectations. He also criticized celebrity coins, which underperformed despite star power.
Robert cited the collapse of Friend.tech as a cautionary tale of fleeting hype in SocialFi.
Looking Ahead: Predictions for 2025
Haseeb Qureshi
- Bitcoin will reach $150,000, then correct.
- DeFi tokens will surge in value.
- AI-related tokens will spike, though actual utility may lag.
Robert Leshner
- Bitcoin could hit $180,000 without major pullbacks.
- The U.S. will pass its first dedicated crypto legislation.
- A high-profile AI-crypto scam will make headlines.
Tarun Chitra
- L2 and appchain consolidation will accelerate due to cost pressures.
- AI agent token market cap will grow 5x.
- Solana’s inflation rate will drop by at least 25%.
Tom Schmidt
- Money-based social apps (like Farcaster) will go viral on TikTok.
- New ETFs for XRP or Litecoin may be approved.
- A major application-layer hack could occur via supply chain vulnerabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Why did Tether succeed despite ongoing skepticism?
A: Tether improved transparency, maintained full reserves, expanded into real-world assets, and benefited from stablecoin demand during macroeconomic uncertainty — proving resilience amid regulatory pressure.
Q: What made HyperLiquid’s airdrop so successful?
A: It prioritized genuine users over speculators, achieved massive organic reach, and delivered a high-performance trading platform — creating strong community ownership from day one.
Q: Are meme coins here to stay?
A: While speculative, meme coins have evolved into cultural movements with real infrastructure (e.g., Pump.fun). As long as they provide entertainment and community value, they’ll remain part of the ecosystem.
Q: Can DeFi sustain its comeback?
A: Yes — with innovations like yield amplification and better capital efficiency models, DeFi is regaining relevance beyond speculation, attracting both users and institutional interest.
Q: Will Bitcoin L2s ever succeed?
A: Current attempts have stalled, but future solutions leveraging zk-tech or improved interoperability could revive interest — though competition from established ecosystems remains fierce.
Q: Is the U.S. becoming friendlier to crypto?
A: Signs point to yes — with pro-crypto political momentum growing, ETF approvals, and potential legislative action likely in 2025.
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