Analyst: 2025 to Mark a Cryptocurrency Policy Inflection Point, Regulatory Clarity to Drive Institutional Adoption

On December 24, according to Crowdfund Insider, TRM Labs’ Policy Team members Ari Redbord and Angela Ang, along with the firm’s EMEA Regulatory Advisor Luke Dufour, reviewed the most significant global crypto policy matters of Q4 2025 and examined developments across 30 jurisdictions—uncovering several key trends: - Stablecoins dominated policy agendas, with over 70% of jurisdictions advancing stablecoin regulation in 2025. - Clearer regulations paved the way for institutional adoption: Roughly 80% of financial institutions in the surveyed jurisdictions announced new digital asset initiatives. - Regulation’s impact on illicit finance was evident: TRM’s analysis found Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs)—the most heavily regulated segment of the crypto ecosystem—have a far lower illicit activity rate than the broader ecosystem. TRM Labs noted that 2025 was a “watershed year for U.S. crypto policy.” The fourth quarter further built on this momentum, shifting beyond just congressional bill progress: Regulatory agencies are increasingly leveraging guidance, supervision, and enforcement to achieve their policy objectives.