From bitcoin reaching record high of $1,00,000 to retracing around $86,000 level -the crypto market has remained dynamic and volatile so far this year.

As of December 2025, the overall outlook for the crypto market remains guardedly optimistic. Despite heightened short-term volatility, the fundamental forces underpinning the current bull cycle continue to hold, according to experts.

“Looking back at 2025, the crypto industry paints a mixed but hopeful picture. On one hand, the industry saw real progress: growth in DeFi projects, expansion of stablecoins, new CBDC-infrastructure pilots, and rising developer activity across APAC and globally, with millions committing to code on-chain. On the other hand, after early-year optimism from retail investors, the October correction was a reminder that sentiment remains fragile and that hype without real delivery can still hurt the industry,” said Nischal Shetty, Founder, WazirX.

Shetty further swaid that institutional shifts and policy signals, however, brought meaningful momentum. Vanguard reversed its long-standing prohibition on crypto, opening its platform to Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana ETFs, triggering a surge in mainstream adoption.

Bitcoin is down 7.96% year-to-date, trading at $86,065 as of December 18 after beginning the year at $93,508. In comparison, Ethereum has recorded a steeper decline of 15.25% YTD, with its price falling from $3,337 to $2,828 during the same timeframe.

Top crypto gainers of 2025

According to Coingecko, the top crypto gainers ranking was dominated by meme coins in 2024, none made it in this year. Unlike other large-cap cryptocurrencies that have posted strong gains, Bitcoin and Ethereum appear set to close the year with year-to-date losses, even after hitting fresh all-time highs during the year.

These are the top 5 most performing cryptos in 2025, as per CoinGecko –

MYX Finance

MYX Finance (MYX) has emerged as the top crypto performer of 2025, posting the highest year-to-date gains of 3,358.15% among large-cap digital assets. The BNB Chain–based derivatives protocol debuted its token at approximately $0.097 on May 6. Since then, MYX has rallied sharply, supported by its airdrop initiative and rising investor interest in perpetuals trading and the broader BNB Chain ecosystem.

ZCash

Zcash (ZEC) has become the second-best performing cryptocurrency of 2025, delivering a year-to-date gain of 573.72%. The token began its upward move in late September, driven by renewed enthusiasm around privacy-focused assets, and climbed to $120.62 by October 2—revisiting levels last seen in May 2022. While the broader crypto market capitalization trended lower over the same period, ZEC’s rally gathered significant strength, ultimately topping out at $698.87 on November 17.

Rain Protocol

Rain Protocol (RAIN) posted third highest gains of 184.83% in the last one year.

Zebec Network

Zebec Network (ZBCN) was close behind Rain Protocol with returns of 164.08%.

Zora

SocialFi layer 2 Zora (ZORA) has given 138.13% returns in 2025 so far, which makes it the fifth most performing crypto of this year.

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. Please consult with an investment advisor before making any investment decisions.