Global Adoption Hits Milestone as Market Sees Steady Growth
In May 2025, the crypto market showed renewed momentum. According to Crypto.com’s Monthly Research Roundup, both the price and volume indices increased by +13.32% and 33.14% respectively, while the volatility index dropped by -16.79%, reflecting a more stable market environment.
📊 Charts of the Month: Crypto Owners Reach 700M
One of the most striking highlights: the global number of cryptocurrency owners has surpassed 700 million as of April 2025. This marks a 163% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) since May 2020, when the number stood at just 65 million. This exponential rise signals accelerating global adoption and mainstream interest in digital assets.
🔧 Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade Enhances Usability
On May 7, Ethereum successfully launched the Pectra upgrade, improving both user and validator experiences. A notable improvement came from EIP-7702, which allows externally owned accounts (EOAs) to temporarily act as contract accounts. This means users can now batch transactions and even enjoy gas fee sponsorship.
By the end of May, more than 72,000 transactions were linked to EIP-7702, and over 205,000 authorizations were signed, underlining rapid adoption of the new functionality.
💼 Monthly Feature: Understanding Crypto Options
Crypto options remain a niche but growing part of the digital asset space. Compared to spot and futures markets, options trading is less accessible due to its complexity and liquidity requirements. Still, the segment is expanding:
- Crypto options daily volume: ~$3 billion
- Growth from May 2024 to May 2025: +47%
- Options on CEXs: $123 billion monthly volume (+48% YoY)
- CME & Cboe TradFi Options: Strong growth, with Cboe’s ETF options surging 188% YTD
Platforms like Crypto.com are aiming to simplify participation with products such as UpDown Options, Strike Options, and Dual Invest, making options more accessible to everyday traders.
🔄 Interest Rate Derivatives & Pendle’s DeFi Innovation
Traditional Interest Rate Derivatives (IRDs) remain largely institution-only and opaque. Pendle Finance is changing that by enabling DeFi users to split yield-bearing assets into principal and yield tokens. This allows for:
- Yield speculation or locking in fixed income
- Trading yield separately for increased liquidity
- Time-decay aware AMMs to ensure fair pricing
However, this innovation comes with complexity and risk—especially in unpredictable markets where historical yields may not indicate future returns.
🔎 Alpha Navigator & Market Trends
Crypto.com’s institutional Alpha Navigator reports that:
- Most asset classes rose in May, with BTC hitting an all-time high on May 22
- Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade coincided with price movements and macro events
- Correlations with traditional indices (except S&P 500, Nasdaq-100, and US Bonds) have shifted
For full access to these insights and more, Crypto.com encourages users to join the VIP Exchange Program or subscribe to exclusive research via the Loaded Lions NFT community.
📰 Stay tuned for the next monthly roundup.
