Bitcoin Could Hit $250,000 by End of 2025, Says Cardano Founder

Bitcoin could surge to $250,000 by the end of year, according to Charles Hoskinson, founder of the Cardano blockchain and one of the early pioneers of the crypto industry, speaking to CNBC.

He believes major tech players like Microsoft and Apple entering the crypto space could act as crucial catalysts for this growth.

Crypto Markets Under Pressure Amid Trump’s Tariff Moves

The crypto markets have come under pressure due to a broader sell-off of risk assets triggered by US President Donald Trump's decision to impose tariffs on multiple countries.

Last week, Bitcoin dipped below $77,000, but rebounded above $82,000 on Wednesday after Trump temporarily lowered tariffs to 10% for most nations, allowing space for trade negotiations.

Still, Bitcoin remains significantly below its all-time high from January, when it exceeded $100,000. Nevertheless, many in the industry remain deeply optimistic.

"I believe Bitcoin will hit $250,000 by the end of this year or the next," Hoskinson said in a CNBC interview recorded for the podcast Beyond The Valley.

Market Will Find Balance

Hoskinson believes that trade tensions will eventually subside and that markets will stabilise.

“All this tariff talk will end up being a dud. People will realise that the world wants to negotiate, and ultimately it’s the US versus China. Some will side with us, others with them,” Hoskinson said.

“Markets will calm down, adjust to the new normal, and then the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates. That’s when we’ll enter an era of ‘cheap and fast money’ - and a lot of it will flow into crypto.”

These comments came before Trump announced the temporary withdrawal of most tariffs.

Why Will Bitcoin Surge?

Hoskinson outlined several key reasons for a potential Bitcoin price boom:

• More Crypto Users – According to exchange Crypto.com, the number of cryptocurrency holders rose by 13% in 2024, reaching 659 million globally.

• Geopolitical Instability – Hoskinson argues the world is drifting away from a “rules-based order” into an era of great power conflicts.

• Stablecoin Regulation and Legal Clarity – In the US, two major bills are currently under legislative review: the Stablecoin Act and the Digital Asset Market Structure and Investor Protection Act. Both could, according to Hoskinson, trigger a new wave of growth.

“If Russia wants to invade Ukraine, it will. If China wants to invade Taiwan, it will. In such a world, agreements and global trade function poorly. Cryptocurrencies become the only viable tool for globalisation in that environment.”

The "Magnificent Seven"

Hoskinson believes the new stablecoin legislation could attract large tech firms — the so-called “Magnificent Seven”, including Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon — to start using stablecoins to pay employees or facilitate microtransactions on their platforms.

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies pegged to fiat currencies and backed by real-world assets.

Their key advantage is the fast and low-cost transfer of money across borders.

“If that happens, the crypto market will reignite,” Hoskinson said.

“The crypto market is likely to stagnate for the next three to five months,” Hoskinson predicts, “but then in August or September, we’ll see a major wave of speculative interest that could last six to twelve months.”