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5 Real World Assets (RWA) Altcoins to Watch in January 2025

Mastercard Startpath Alum Polytrade Releases RWA 360 Roadmap to Become the Home of Everything RWA 

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With the new year just one day away, crypto analyst Alex Wacy (@wacy_time1) shared an overview of what he calls the best altcoins heading into 2025. The analyst, who has amassed an audience of over 190,000 followers on X, highlighted several projects that he believes have the potential to dominate in the potential coming altseason.

Best Altcoins In 2025 He begins with Render (RNDR), describing it as a decentralized GPU rendering platform for AI, metaverse, and creative content. He maintained that “Render is poised to become a key player in the virtual future,” pointing to its $3.66 billion market capitalization as evidence of investor confidence.

Following closely is Virtual, an AI-driven avatar initiative that is pegged at $3.41 billion in market cap, with Wacy touting Virtual as “the growth leader in 2024 in the virtual avatar sector” and predicting increasing adoption for metaverse, gaming, and social media applications.

Wacy also turns his attention to SEKOIA, mentioning its focus on identifying and mentoring emerging AI talent. Although smaller in scale at a $94 million market cap, this autonomous AI investment agent uses advanced pattern recognition and quantifiable predictions to gain a foothold in a competitive space.

Next in line for the best altcoins in 2025 is Pengu, which he calls “the official coin of Paddy Penguin, a major force  in crypto.” Its substantial community and cultural traction reflect a hefty $2.28 billion market valuation, and its omnipresence in ETF ads combined with over 90 billion visits appear to confirm its cult-like following.

The list of best altcoins continues with Clearpool (CPOOL), a Decentralized Capital Markets Ecosystem valued at $341 million that provides insured loans to institutional borrowers in the DeFi arena through a dynamic interest model. The analyst noted that Clearpool’s approach to decentralized lending could offer a unique avenue for strategic investors.

He also spotlights Bittensor (Tao), a project intent on decentralizing AI solutions through an open ecosystem, weighed at $3.48 billion, and Hyperliquid (HYPE), a decentralized perpetuals exchange living on its own L1 with a $9.23 market cap. He describes Hype’s vision as “a high-speed, low-cost, transparent solution for perpetual futures,” though he advises caution, remarking that prospective investors should “research to understand its risks and potential.”

Io.net, which sits at $397 million, is categorized as a decentralized GPU network that reduces costs for AI developers, while CFG (Centric) aims to bridge DeFi with real-world assets. This $162 million project focuses on stable returns generated from real fiat value rather than solely leveraging volatile crypto.

Akash Network (AKT), valued at $746 million, is labeled by Wacy a “supercloud” that transforms cloud computing through a decentralized marketplace, and Ethena (ENA), at $2.69 billion, provides a synthetic dollar protocol on Ethereum, touted as “a crypto-native, bank-free solution for money.”

Wacy’s list also featured Helium (HNT) with a $1.13 billion market cap, identified for its decentralized IoT network, and Griffain in the Solana ecosystem, with a $211 million market cap, delivering scalable DeFi solutions for token swaps while upholding transparency.

The analyst also highlights Grasso (GRASS) in his list of the best altcoins for 2025 and its $683 million market cap, describing its decentralized data collection network for AI training as both functional and user-friendly. VitaDAO (VITA) is in Wacy’s focus because of its community-governed DAO funding longevity research. Its compact $54 million market cap appears poised for growth as members actively engage in decision-making and ownership, signifying a communal approach to biotech research in crypto.

Spectral, carrying a $194 million market cap, offers on-chain agents for easier application creation and includes a syntax tool that transforms natural language into Solidity. ETIGEN, or Energy Layer, at $170 million, extends novel concepts of restorative energy on Ethereum, and ONDO, with an impressive $2.83 billion market cap, aims to open up institutional-grade DeFi services and real-world asset (RWA) tokenization.

Wacy further singles out AIXTB, at $377M, which monitors crypto-related discussions via a proprietary engine to uncover high-sentiment opportunities, and Ether.fi (ETHFI), priced at $446M, which supports non-custodial ETH staking and DeFi integration. Throughout his breakdown, he underscored the cyclical nature of the crypto market, stating that these best altcoins “could see significant growth in 2025” once capital flow rotates away from Bitcoin and into high-potential altcoin narratives.

His overall thesis hinges on what he perceives as a predictable pattern in every major market cycle. “Altcoins typically pumping when BTC Dominance starts a strong downtrend,” the analyst wrote. He cited the example from 2021, when Bitcoin’s dominance fell from around 73% to 40%, triggering a monumental rally for altcoins like SOL, ADA, and DOGE.

Pointing out that current BTC dominance is about 55%, which he calls a “significant resistance zone,” he predicts a swift drop to 40% if a breakdown occurs. “As I mentioned before, my bet for the altseason is in the spring of 2025,” he said, while admitting that he also shares the common sentiment of disbelief that surrounds every cycle. “That’s okay, it means the market is doing a good job of ‘smoking people out.’ Patience friends, patience always pays off,” he concluded.

At press time, the Bitcoin dominance (BTC.D) stood at 58.02%.

Bitcoin dominance, 1-week chart | Source: BTC.D on TradingView.com Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

BlackRock Bets Big on Real-World Assets: Tokens to Watch

Sujha Sundararajan

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Sujha Sundararajan

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Jun 2023

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Sujha has been recognised as 🟣 Women In Crypto 2024 🟣 by BeInCrypto for her leadership in crypto journalism.

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August 12, 2025

Clearpool, a decentralized capital markets ecosystem, has partnered with on-chain credit risk management company Cicada in a move to institutionalize PayFi lending with improved risk management.

In an announcement shared with Cryptonews on Monday, the partnership will boost Clearpool’s credibility and risk management in PayFi lending. Cicada will structure and underwrite PayFi lending opportunities and serve as the administrative agent for select Credit Pools.

Cicada has underwritten more than $850m in loans at a 1.2% default rate during the prior cycle.

🤝 Clearpool has partnered with Cicada to institutionalize PayFi lending with risk-managed Credit Pools

Cicada is an on-chain credit risk management company founded by a seasoned team of former buy- and sell-side credit professionals. Cicada’s co-founders have deep crypto… pic.twitter.com/JY79tNCVqE

— Clearpool (@ClearpoolFin) August 11, 2025 Clearpool’s partnership with Cicada could shake up the lending space, bringing more institutional players into the DeFi fold.

Clearpool Expands to Payment Financing or PayFiAccording to Jakob Kronbichler, CEO of Clearpool, Cicada’s risk management integration would strengthen Clearpool’s institutional infrastructure for PayFi lending.

“While stablecoin settlements are instant, underlying fiat flows are not, forcing fintechs to bridge liquidity gaps,” he said. “This partnership enhances our proven credit framework and supports the growth of the emerging trillion-dollar stablecoin payment ecosystem.”

Clearpool will be launching PayFi Credit Pools for users to access these highly liquid, real-world yield opportunities. This means facilitating credit to institutional lenders specializing in short-term stablecoin-based working capital to fintech operators.

It will also launch cpUSD, a permissionless, yield-bearing asset, which will enable retail to tap into real-world stablecoin payments.

Cicada offers Risk-as-a-Service (RaaS) Solutions to DeFi Protocols On the other hand, Cicada offers Risk-as-a-Service (RaaS) solutions, including third-party underwriting, pool management for DeFi protocols and risk structuring.

“Partnering with Clearpool allows us to elevate PayFi lending by combining our underwriting and risk management expertise with their innovative credit products,” said Sefton Kincaid, Managing Partner of Cicada Partners.

The partnership will accelerate the adoption of PayFi by laying the groundwork for more safer, transparent and scalable stablecoin ecosystem.

“Together, we’re advancing professionally managed Credit Pools and strengthening Clearpool’s offering to borrowers and lenders in the growing stablecoin economy,” Kincaid added.

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Clearpool has announced its groundbreaking collaboration with Plasma, marking a significant step forward in redefining the landscape of global payments. This partnership aims to empower Plasma’s mainnet by building a flagship yield-bearing stablecoin, cpUSD. With this, the platform is set to pave the way for a scalable and credit-backed stablecoin liquidity among both emerging and developed markets.

Clearpool 🤝 @PlasmaFDN: Two Forces, One Vision

Clearpool is launching cpUSD on Plasma.

Our flagship yield-bearing asset is powered by PayFi Vaults, which finance short-term credit for stablecoin-settled payments from remittances to card processors.

This partnership scales… pic.twitter.com/LpsZ6rVed7

— Clearpool (@ClearpoolFin) September 24, 2025 Clearpool, a decentralized marketplace for unsecured liquidity, has announced the news through its official X account. The other partner, Plasma, is a purpose-built blockchain for stablecoin transactions.

Clearpool and Plasma to Bridge cpUSD with Plasma’s Payment Infrastructure With this partnership, Clearpool and Plasma are poised to expand their shared vision while laying the foundations for DeFi integrations. They both aim to scale stablecoin-powered liquidity to advance global payments. Clearpool’s cpUSD is powered by PayFi Vaults, offering yield-bearing opportunities to fulfill the short-term financial credit needs of institutional lenders, including remittances and card processors. These credit channels are infused with Plasma to execute a chain that is especially created for payment efficiency and scale.

Plasma is supported by Founders Fund, Bitfinex, and Framework Ventures. At the time of launch, the network boasted more than $2 billion in stablecoin TVL. Plasma offers zero-fee USDT transfers, complete EVM compatibility, and partnerships with major DeFi protocols such as Aave and Euler.

With this, the platform strives to cement its position as a cornerstone for the stablecoin ecosystem. In this way, Plasma becomes the ideal home for Clearpool’s cpUSD. Through this integration, the platform is set to expand its utility for trading, lending, settlement, and collateralized DeFi applications.

Clearpool’s cpUSD is built to maximize utility along with stability, allocating 75% PayFi Vaults and 25% to liquid yield-bearing stablecoins for redemption flexibility. Plasma’s mission perfectly aligns with this structure, skimming high-volume stablecoin flows. Clearpool, by combining efforts with Plasma, aims to foster a vision for stablecoins to go beyond speculative use cases.

The CEO and Co-founder of Clearpool, Jakob Kronbichler, states that, “Plasma is creating the payments infrastructure that stablecoins have always needed.”  Paul Faecks, the counterpart at Plasma, echoed the statement by saying, “By bringing cpUSD to Plasma, we’re ensuring that fintechs can access credit at scale on a chain built for their core use cases.”

The two platforms are poised to unite Clearpool’s credit solutions with Plasma’s payment infrastructure. With this, both strive to pave the way for the next level of stablecoin adoption. There, the stablecoins can move the world, not just a market.

AUTHOR

Crypto journalist with years of experience providing in-depth analysis and news on blockchain and decentralized finance. With a keen eye for detail, Shahzaib delivers insightful articles that explore the latest trends, market movements, and innovations within the crypto and blockchain ecosystem. His work focuses on educating readers while offering expert commentary on the evolving landscape of digital assets, DeFi protocols, and the broader impact of blockchain technology.

Clearpool, a DeFi protocol focused on embedding credit infrastructure into stablecoin payments, secured $400,000 in XPL funding from Plasma, a blockchain network designed for stablecoin liquidity and global money movement.

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The funding uses XPL, the native token of the Plasma network used for incentives and ecosystem growth, to support Clearpool’s expansion of PayFi, a credit layer concept that provides short-term financing for stablecoin-settled payments like remittances and merchant flows.

Clearpool partnered with Plasma to launch cpUSD, Clearpool’s permissionless yield-bearing stablecoin backed by PayFi credit vaults, and PayFi Vaults on the recently launched Plasma mainnet beta.

Plasma’s mainnet launch positions it as infrastructure for stablecoin velocity, with Clearpool integrating to provide credit rails for emerging payment ecosystems.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Vivian Nguyen. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.

Upbit to List Clearpool (CPOOL) and Open Trading Pairs for KRW, BTC, and USDT

Bithumb Lists Clearpool (CPOOL) KRW Trading Pair

Clearpool (CPOOL) price surges more than 70%, trading above $0.173 at the time of writing on Wednesday. This rally follows the confirmation of Upbit, South Korea’s largest crypto exchange, for the CPOOL listing. The rally pushes CPOOL’s market cap above $136 million, overtaking rivals like PNUT and ZIG, while technicals suggest further upside toward the $0.217 target.

Clearpool, a decentralized capital markets ecosystem that enables institutional borrowers to access unsecured loans directly from the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ecosystem, rallies by more than 70% on Wednesday. The main reason for this price surge is that Upbit, a crypto exchange, announced it would list CPOOL with trading pairs against KRW and USDT.

This news is triggering a massive surge in CPOOL price as a centralized exchange listing typically signals increased liquidity, accessibility, and investor confidence in the token.

CoinGecko data shows that Clearpool’s market capitalization reaches over $136 million on Wednesday, surpassing other popular altcoins such as ZIGChain (ZIG) and Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT), securing the 410th spot in the overall crypto market capitalization table.

Clearpool Price Forecast: CPOOL bulls aiming for $0.217 markClearpool price is breaking above a descending trendline (drawn by connecting multiple highs since mid-August) on Wednesday and rallies nearly 73%, trading around $0.173 as of writing.

If CPOOL continues its upward momentum, it could extend the gains toward the August 14 high of $0.217.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart reads 69, pointing upward, indicating strong bullish momentum. Additionally, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) shows a bullish crossover, giving a buy signal and indicating an upward trend.

CPOOL/USDT daily chart 

On the other hand, if CPOOL faces a correction, it could extend the decline to retest the 50-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $0.129.

Clearpool (CPOOL) Breaks 2-Month High After Dual Listing on Upbit and Bithumb

KERNEL Soars 25% as Upbit Opens KRW Market — What’s Driving the Hype?

Maple Finance is advancing a new model for decentralized credit markets through its MIP-019 proposal. The proposal replaces staking with token buybacks and governance incentives.

The move comes amid a surge in real-world asset (RWA) adoption and rising institutional interest in on-chain lending. Maple curbs token inflation and links rewards to actual financial performance, strengthening its position in the evolving RWA-driven credit ecosystem.

Maple’s MIP-019: From Staking to Sustainable On-Chain CreditMaple Finance, a decentralized credit marketplace, has approved the MIP-019 proposal. The proposal formally ends Maple’s staking program and introduces a buyback-based mechanism for its governance token, SYRUP. The change makes Maple’s tokenomics more sustainable and aligns the protocol more closely with traditional credit markets.

Moreover, protocol revenues will repurchase SYRUP tokens from the open market under the new framework. The old model distributed inflationary staking rewards. Maple’s governance forum states this transition “limits inflation, strengthens capital efficiency, and links value directly to protocol revenue.”

The market reacted swiftly. Maple’s total value locked (TVL) surged above $3.1 billion in late October, marking its highest level since 2022. Analysts attribute the spike to increased activity from institutional liquidity providers.

Maple’s total value locked (TVL): DefiLlamaMeanwhile, these providers are entering the RWA sector. Maple has positioned itself as a bridge between DeFi and real-world financial assets.

Market Reaction and RWA ContextThe MIP-019 proposal has drawn significant attention from on-chain analysts and key opinion leaders (KOLs). For instance, RWA-focused commentator @RWA_Guru described the change as “ultra-bullish.”

“Reduces inflation, caps supply growth, and introduces stronger governance incentives.” He highlighted how Maple’s move.

MIP-019 is ultra-bullish for Maple: it extends token buybacks, gives governance power to $SYRUP, and retires outdated staking — tightening supply and boosting long-term sustainability.

Less inflation. More utility.

— RWA_Guru (@RWA_Guru) October 28, 2025 These factors are critical for sustainable DeFi credit markets.

“The token crushed a multi-month downtrend,” said @TokenTalk3x, noting the market momentum around SYRUP following the proposal’s approval.

The broader RWA sector has grown rapidly over the past year. Protocols such as Centrifuge, Ondo, and Clearpool capture institutional demand for tokenized credit instruments. Maple’s strategy reflects a growing recognition. DeFi’s future may depend on integrating with off-chain, yield-generating assets. The platform replaces staking emissions with buybacks funded by real yield.

Risks and Institutional OutlookAnalysts have welcomed MIP-019. However, they caution that Maple’s new model introduces dependencies on external credit conditions. A downturn in RWA yields could limit Maple’s buyback capacity. A contraction in institutional borrowing would have the same effect.

Nevertheless, market observers see the governance shift as part of a larger evolution. The industry is moving toward “on-chain credit infrastructure.” Many analysts believe DeFi protocols are maturing from speculative farming to genuine financial utility.

Consequently, Maple’s latest governance overhaul represents more than a tokenomics tweak. It signals DeFi’s continued convergence with traditional finance. The company anchors protocol value in real-world credit flows, positioning Maple at the center of the RWA-driven on-chain lending revolution.

Rubio: US and Iran to continue technical consultations at the end of this month

Multiple foreign media outlets reported on the 24th that US Secretary of State Rubio said technical teams from the United States and Iran will hold further talks in Switzerland by the end of June. (Xinhua News Agency)

5 hours ago

Over the past 24 hours, total crypto market liquidations hit $606 million, with more than 130,000 traders liquidated.

According to Coinglass data, the global cryptocurrency market recorded $606 million in liquidations over the past 24 hours, including $542 million in long-position liquidations and $68.22 million in short-position liquidations. A total of 135,785 traders worldwide were liquidated in the same period, with the largest single liquidation order occurring on Binance’s BTCUSDT trading pair, valued at $12.0111 million.

5 hours ago

Bitcoin falls below $60,000

According to HTX market data, Bitcoin has fallen below $60,000, with a 4.3% drop in the past 24 hours.

5 hours ago

US Treasury Secretary: AI boom may boost productivity and help curb inflation.

US Treasury Secretary Bessent told CNBC in an interview that he hopes the Federal Reserve will remain "open-minded" about the inflation pattern after the reversal of Iran-related energy price hikes. Bessent noted that the U.S. could enter an economic environment marked by high GDP growth without a corresponding rise in traditional inflation. He cited that in the 1990s, Alan Greenspan foresaw that office modernization and the internet could drive non-inflationary growth, and allowed the economy to keep expanding. Bessent believes the U.S. has a strong chance of seeing a similar scenario again. When asked whether the Fed still needs to worry about potential inflation and whether interest rate cuts are possible this year or next, Bessent declined to comment. However, he argued that it is necessary to stay open-minded about the price or inflation impacts from the Iran conflict, and monitor inflation performance after those effects subside. Bessent also said an open mind is needed, as the AI boom could boost productivity and deliver disinflationary effects, helping inflation return to the Fed’s target level. He added that he believes Kevin Warsh will choose the optimal path that meets both the Fed’s inflation and growth mandates. Bessent also noted that Warsh previously took a hawkish stance on inflation.

5 hours ago

US stocks' intraday storage sector sees broad declines, with Western Digital and Seagate Technology both falling over 4%.

According to Bitget data, during U.S. stock trading hours, the storage sector saw broad declines: Western Digital (WDC) fell 4.47%, Seagate Technology (STX) dropped 4.17%, SanDisk (SNDK) declined 2.31%, and Micron Technology (MU) edged down 0.96%. Most optical communication concept stocks rose, with Corning (GLW) leading the gains at 9.75%, followed by Ciena (CIEN) up 3.24%, Coherent (COHR) rising 2.93%, Lumentum (LITE) gaining 2.61%, and Nokia (NOK) advancing 1.82%. Additionally, Marvell Technology (MRVL) fell 2.59% and Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) declined 1.90%.

5 hours ago

During intraday trading in U.S. stocks, crypto-related concept stocks fell broadly, with MSTR dropping more than 7%.

According to Bitget market data, the three major U.S. stock indexes rose broadly: the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.94%, the S&P 500 increased 0.60%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.63%. Crypto-related stocks fell across the board, with declines as follows: Strategy (MSTR) down 7.33%; Circle (CRCL) down 4.35%; Bitmine (BMNR) down 3.97%; Coinbase (COIN) down 3.73%; Robinhood (HOOD) down 3.70%; Gemini (GEMI) down 3.27%; Bullish (BLSH) down 3.25%; Sharplink (SBET) down 3.19%.

5 hours ago