OKX Ventures Annual Report 2024: 60+ Project Investments and 14 Major Trends to Watch

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"The success of the blockchain industry lies not in the triumph of a single technology or platform, but in building a highly inclusive, richly innovative, and self-evolving industry ecosystem." — Dora Yue, Founder of OKX Ventures

As global financial markets underwent intense transformation in 2024, the cryptocurrency sector experienced profound volatility and restructuring. After six months of consolidation, the industry rebounded strongly — by year-end, total market capitalization surpassed $3.8 trillion**, with **Bitcoin hitting an all-time high of $100,000. This wasn’t just a price rally; it marked the beginning of a structural shift.

A new liquidity cycle has emerged, centered on Bitcoin as a core financial asset and bridged by Bitcoin ETFs and U.S. equities, with publicly listed companies acting as key carriers. Bitcoin is now rising as the largest dollar-denominated financial asset — increasingly used as a hedge against U.S. fiscal deficits and debt risks. This evolution is reshaping the global asset landscape and fueling long-term innovation across the blockchain ecosystem.

OKX Ventures has been at the forefront of this transformation, accelerating investments and strategic partnerships to support next-generation blockchain development. We remain optimistic about how blockchain will subtly yet profoundly reshape traditional systems over the next decade.

2024 Review: 60+ Investments Across Key Blockchain Frontiers

In 2024, OKX Ventures significantly scaled its investment activity, allocating over $100 million into more than 60 high-potential projects and funds. Our focus spanned emerging ecosystems including Solana, Sui, Aptos, TON, and the expanding Bitcoin network — with particular emphasis on infrastructure, AI integration, and decentralized finance (DeFi).

Strategic Investment Focus Areas:

Representative projects supported include:

We also deepened strategic collaborations with ecosystem partners like TON Ventures, Ankaa, and TGH, co-investing in early-stage startups and accelerators. These alliances enable us to provide not only capital but also technical resources, go-to-market strategies, and access to the broader OKX ecosystem — empowering founders to scale faster and more sustainably.

👉 Discover how cutting-edge blockchain ventures are shaping the future of finance and technology.

Our mission extends beyond funding: we aim to build an interconnected innovation ecosystem where capital, talent, infrastructure, and vision converge. Each investment reflects a long-term belief in decentralized systems that enhance transparency, user sovereignty, and global financial inclusion.

2025 Outlook: 14 Key Trends Shaping the Blockchain Future

As we look ahead to 2025, OKX Ventures identifies 14 pivotal trends that will define the next phase of blockchain evolution — from regulatory maturity to AI-driven automation and real-world asset (RWA) integration.

Trend 1: Global Compliance Acceleration

Regulatory clarity is improving worldwide. The number of licensed crypto firms is rising, offering safer services for users. Notably, OKX became the first global exchange to secure a comprehensive operating license in the UAE.

Innovations like compliant self-custody wallets — featuring KYC-enabled transaction monitoring — are resolving the tension between user control and regulatory requirements. The UK plans consultations on stablecoin regulation in early 2025, signaling broader governmental support.

Institutional adoption is surging:

By 2025, many crypto platforms are expected to meet or exceed traditional financial compliance standards. OKX’s triad of services — Exchange, Web3, and Simple — exemplifies the integrated model becoming industry standard.

Trend 2: AI Agents as Autonomous Market Participants

Next-gen AI agents powered by large language models (LLMs) will evolve from tools into active economic actors onchain. By 2025, these agents will:

Platforms like Myshell and agent frameworks such as Eliza are paving the way for multi-agent ecosystems. In DeFi, AI agents could execute complex strategies in real time — optimizing yield, detecting anomalies, and managing portfolios without human input.

This shift may realize the vision of "wallet as a browser" — where your wallet interacts intelligently with dApps, services, and other agents using natural language.

Trend 3: Blockchain-Powered AI Security

With deepfake attacks increasing by 61% year-over-year, securing AI interactions is critical. Blockchain offers verifiable solutions:

Projects focused on AI security will gain traction, enhancing trust in synthetic media, automated trading, and identity verification systems.

👉 See how blockchain is solving one of AI’s biggest challenges: trust.

Trend 4: AI Integration Across Industries

By 2025, AI will deeply transform key sectors:

Gaming

Social Platforms

DeFi

OKX Ventures forecasts over 1 million AI agents active onchain by 2025, driving DEX volumes toward $4 trillion** and TVL beyond **$200 billion.

Trend 5: Efficient Matching of AI Resources via Blockchain

AI demands massive data, compute power, models, and funding — all mismatched today. Blockchain improves resource allocation:

ResourceBlockchain Solution
DataSpace and Time, CARV
Computeio.net
PrivacyPrivasea (FHE)
FundingDAO-based research grants

For example:

These synergies will unlock breakthrough applications across healthcare, finance, and science.

Trend 6: Bitcoin’s DeFi Summer Begins

Bitcoin DeFi is gaining momentum:

New use cases emerging:

By 2025, Bitcoin-based DEXs could process over $4 trillion in volume — capturing 20% of CEX spot trade value.

Trend 7: Native Bitcoin Innovation Expands

Technical upgrades are unlocking new possibilities:

Application-layer innovations include:

Bitcoin is evolving from “digital gold” into a full-stack financial and data infrastructure.

Trend 8: Ethereum’s Dual Breakthrough in Tech & Ecosystem

Ethereum is undergoing transformative upgrades:

Scaling

Usability

Staking & Security

Privacy & Efficiency

Trend 9: RWA Boom Fuels Ethereum Growth

Tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) are accelerating:

Institutional adoption surges:

Projections suggest RWA-related fees could generate $100 billion/year — 40x current Ethereum revenue.

Trend 10: Solana Maintains High-Performance Leadership

Solana continues to lead in speed and efficiency:

Developer strength:

Jupiter and Raydium expected to drive >35% of Solana DEX volume by 2025.

Trend 11: Move-Based Chains Surge with Sui & Aptos

Sui and Aptos dominate the Move ecosystem:

Sui

Aptos

Both chains poised for top-10 token rankings by market cap.

Trend 12: Monad & Berachain Ignite Next-Gen L1 Innovation

Monad: Parallel EVM with >10,000 TPS in Devnet
Core features:

Nearly 100 protocols committed pre-launch.

Berachain: PoL (Proof of Liquidity) consensus
Highlights:

These emerging chains signal a more competitive, diversified L1 landscape.

Trend 13: TON & Kaia Attract Web Giants via Super Apps

TON, integrated with Telegram (900M users), enables seamless onchain mini-programs:

Kaia, backed by Kakao/Line:

Their “Web2.5” model — combining traffic scale with onchain utility — sets a blueprint for internet giants entering Web3.

Trend 14: Decentralized Science (DeSci) Transforms Research

DeSci leverages blockchain to democratize scientific innovation:

Transparent funding, open collaboration, and tokenized incentives are reshaping how science advances globally.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is OKX Ventures’ investment philosophy?

OKX Ventures focuses on long-term ecosystem development rather than short-term returns. We back projects that drive decentralization through innovation in infrastructure, AI integration, DeFi, RWAs, and user adoption.

How many projects did OKX Ventures invest in during 2024?

We invested in over 60 projects and funds across multiple blockchain ecosystems — including Solana, Sui, Aptos, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and TON — with total investments exceeding $100 million.

Will Bitcoin become part of national reserves in 2025?

Yes — national Bitcoin reserves are likely to become a reality in 2025 as countries seek alternatives to traditional reserve assets amid growing fiscal uncertainty.

How will AI agents impact DeFi?

AI agents will automate trading strategies, optimize yields, detect fraud, and manage portfolios — making DeFi more efficient and accessible while reducing reliance on human intervention.

What role does compliance play in crypto’s future?

Compliance is essential for mainstream adoption. Platforms like OKX are setting new standards with licensed operations and compliant self-custody solutions — balancing innovation with regulation.

Is DeFi on Bitcoin feasible?

Absolutely. With Babylon enabling Bitcoin staking and L2s like Bitlayer advancing scalability, Bitcoin DeFi is entering its summer phase — unlocking lending, trading, and yield opportunities for BTC holders.

OKX Ventures remains committed to supporting visionary builders who are redefining finance, identity, science, and society through decentralized technologies. We believe the next era of blockchain will be defined not by speculation, but by real-world utility, sustainable ecosystems, and inclusive innovation.

👉 Explore the future of decentralized finance and AI integration today.