Key Takeaways:
XRP is back in the spotlight, with ETF speculation and a settlement with the SEC boosting investor confidence.
Experts point out that real Web3 utility could drive TON’s price in the long term.
Cardano builds visibility, but analysts say real usage is key to sustaining value.
Cronos surged nearly 37%, driven by a proposed ETF tied to Trump’s Truth Social and easing regulatory pressure — a signal of possible institutional momentum.
XRP (XRP), Toncoin (TON), Cardano (ADA), and now Cronos (CRO) are shaping different storylines in the crypto market.
XRP stayed in focus thanks to exchange-traded fund (ETF) speculation and regulatory shifts. TON led major coins in price growth, despite a sharp drop in user activity. ADA lost nearly half its value in March, while CRO unexpectedly outperformed the top 100 on news of a possible ETF tied to Trump’s Truth Social. Each case reveals something about where crypto may be headed next.
Table of Contents
In This Article
In This Article
Show Full Guide
Expert: XRP Future Looks Positive
XRP has been in the spotlight recently due to speculation around a possible exchange-traded fund approval and a potential settlement with the SEC. While neither has happened yet, market sentiment has shifted in favor of the token.
By the end of March, XRP had secured a position in the top five cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. It is currently the third-largest non-stablecoin by market cap, behind Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), with a total value of $119 million.
Matas Čepulis, Founder & CEO of LuvKaizen, told Cryptonews that XRP has a strong community, including many long-term holders. This support may influence both price trends and the broader development of the XRP ecosystem:
I am surprised that this ecosystem has a lot of true diamond hands, who survived multiple bears. The government cases and constraints were holding the token, but since everything is going in a good way I am looking positive to the direction of the XRP movement.
The potential approval of an XRP ETF could bring in institutional capital. Investor interest might also be reinforced by Donald Trump’s crypto reserve, which reportedly includes XRP alongside Solana (SOL), Cardano, Bitcoin, and Ethereum. The list was made public on March 2.
XRP to Become a Major Crypto Narrative?
After several years of legal uncertainty, XRP now seems to have a chance at a fresh start. A settlement with the SEC removed a key obstacle to rebuilding trust among users and investors. Jonathan Inglis, Managing Director at Protocol Theory, believes this development could shape XRP’s future trajectory:
The SEC settlement has given XRP something it’s lacked for years: narrative clarity. For consumers, that matters more than we think—people don’t adopt what they don’t trust. If XRP can convert that clarity into renewed usage in remittances and cross-border payments, it could finally justify its place in the top-tier conversation.
XRP’s price briefly fell below $2 in March, reaching $1.96 on March 11. Despite weakness across the broader market, the token managed to stay near the $2 mark. Month-to-month, the decline was approximately 33%, from a high of $2.93 to a low of $1.96.
Telegram Integration Could Boost TON Price Growth
Toncoin has had a mixed start in 2025. The token lost $5 in value and dropped to $2.42 on March 11. This decline was followed by a sharp turnaround, triggered by news that the founder of Telegram and the TON blockchain (also known as The Open Network) had left France.
Pavel Durov was arrested in France on Aug. 24, 2024. He was accused of failing to moderate Telegram content and of refusing to cooperate with law enforcement—charges tied to misuse of the app, primarily for terrorist purposes. After being released on bail, he was prohibited from leaving the country.
On March 15, it was reported that Durov had flown to the United Arab Emirates, where he holds citizenship. The news was seen as a potential turning point for the project. TON’s price spiked to $3.58 shortly after.
The rally continued. After a brief correction, TON reached $4.06 on March 28—its all-time high (ATH) for the month.
TON is now often described as one of the few projects approaching full Web3 integration with a mass-market product. Through Telegram, users can access blockchain-based tools without facing technical barriers.
However, Jonathan Inglis cautions that mass adoption is still a work in progress:
TON is arguably the closest we’ve come to embedding Web3 into a mainstream consumer product. The Telegram integration gives consumers a frictionless way to engage with Web3, without needing to learn a new platform. But the real test is whether users move beyond novelty and speculation toward meaningful, everyday engagement. This is what will ultimately produce the network effects required to drive longer-term adoption (and token price appreciation).
TON Lost 50% of Active Users, but Investors Remain Positive
Among the top 15 cryptocurrencies by market cap, TON was the strongest performer in March, up by around 25%. Cardano and Tron (TRX) followed with gains of 4% and 2%, respectively. The rest posted negative results.
Data source: CoinGecko as of March 31 (excluding stablecoins)
On-chain data shows, however, that TON’s number of active users has fallen by 51% since the beginning of the year. In January, there were 5.1 million active users. That number fell to 4 million in February (-21.6%) and to 2.5 million in March (-37.5%).
Despite the decline, TON’s price suggests investor optimism. The project remains widely used and offers a clear utility. One explanation for the drop in users may be the end of the airdrop wave that boosted activity earlier—campaigns like Hamster Kombat (HMSTR), Catizen (CATI), and other dApps on TON. These airdrops also sparked debate around token distribution and, in some cases, affected the platform’s reputation.
TON continues to expand its user base by integrating wallets, tokens, and third-party apps into the Telegram ecosystem. According to Matas Čepulis:
They are showing a positive user acquisition, which is the most important metric, the seamless integration of wallet, crypto and connecting them to other applications is a pure art of seamless Web3 experience.
While daily active users declined in Q1 2025, the total number of TON accounts increased from 131.4 million to 147.3 million—a 12% gain.
Cardano Price Outlook: ‘Attention Alone Won’t Sustain ADA’s Value’
Cardano, like XRP, is reportedly among the assets being considered for inclusion in the U.S. strategic reserve. However, March was not a strong month for ADA. After a brief spike between March 2 and March 3—from $0.60 to $1.14, its monthly high—the token began to slide.
By the end of the month, ADA had returned to the $0.60 range, closing at $0.66 on March 31. This marked a decline of about 44% from the peak of $1.14.
Despite the drop, attention from Trump and the U.S. Reserve continues to benefit Cardano’s visibility. Jonathan Inglis told Cryptonews:
Mentions from the Trump camp and speculation around an ADA ETF show how Cardano continues to punch above its weight in narrative relevance.
On-chain data shows that the number of ADA holders had been declining since November 2024. On Nov. 1, there were 4.47 million holders, falling to 4.41 million by Dec. 1. However, in 2025, the trend has reversed, with a gradual increase in February and March.
Whether this signals a renewed interest in Cardano or a potential breakout is still uncertain. The trend is only starting to emerge, and much will depend on the project’s ability to turn attention into actual usage. As Inglis notes:
And the new Walmart cashback partnership adds a layer of retail exposure that few chains can claim. But attention alone won’t sustain ADA’s value—the chain needs to deliver experiences that keep users coming back, especially in retail and DeFi, if it’s going to match its market cap with actual usage.
Crypto Trends to Watch in April 2025
According to our analysis, the top 15 cryptocurrencies by market cap showed no growth in March, except for Toncoin. TON was the strongest performer, up by around 25%, and may become one of the key narratives going forward.
Another outlier in March was Cronos (CRO), the native token of the Crypto.com exchange. It rose nearly 37% during the month, making it the top performer among the top 100 cryptocurrencies by market cap.
One of the triggers behind CRO’s rally was the March 24 announcement that Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform had partnered with Crypto.com to launch a CRO ETF. If implemented, the ETF would be available directly to users through the Crypto.com platform.
Another development came on March 27, when the SEC officially terminated its investigation into Crypto.com. The case began in October 2024, when the exchange filed a lawsuit after receiving a Wells notice. The SEC had alleged that Crypto.com was operating as an unregistered broker-dealer. While the platform initially contested the charges, it later withdrew the lawsuit in December.
These events point to the growing importance of ETFs in crypto market narratives. This can be seen in both the XRP case and the rumors around Cronos and Truth Social. The SEC appears to be dropping or preparing to drop actions against both companies, potentially signaling increased interest from institutional investors.
While this could be positive for the market as regulatory pressure eases, particularly for U.S.-based projects, it also raises questions. In the case of Crypto.com and Truth Social, it remains unclear why CRO was chosen as the token for the proposed ETF instead of one from another exchange. It highlights broader concerns about fairness in a market that is still facing pressure following Trump’s inauguration.
The post K-pop Giant and BTS Label HYBE Abandons Blockchain Project appeared first on Cryptonews.
