KQED's Forum After a Rocky Year, What’s the Future of Cryptocurrency?
Dec 16, 2025
David Yaffe-Bellany, a New York Times reporter specializing in crypto, and Vicky Huang from the Wall Street Journal, delve into the tumultuous events of 2025 in the cryptocurrency world. They explore how regulatory victories clash with market downturns and describe Bitcoin's pivotal role in influencing other tokens. The discussion also touches on the intertwining of crypto with political interests, meme coins tied to the Trump family, and the broader implications of the proposed Clarity Act. Tune in for insights on the industry's future amidst growing scrutiny.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Policy Wins, Market Volatility
- 2025 brought major policy wins for crypto as regulators dropped lawsuits and Congress passed the Genius Act.
- Yet markets have been choppy because crypto remains inherently volatile and leverage amplified recent declines.
Bitcoin Still Rules The Market
- Bitcoin remains the anchor of the crypto market and largely sets the market's direction.
- It carries a mainstream 'digital gold' narrative that other tokens lack in reach and recognition.
Presidential Meme-Coin Rollout
- The Trump and Melania meme coins launched with presidential backing and followed a familiar meme-coin boom-and-bust pattern.
- The Trumps and coin backers profited from transaction fees and initial holdings despite price collapse.