How crypto is used in 2025: YouTube, Pokémon cards and more
In 2025, cryptocurrency is increasingly used in specific digital workflows, though not yet as everyday money. A major use case is for payments: freelancers, YouTubers, and creators receive income in stablecoins like USDC and USDT, bypassing traditional payment delays and fees. Platforms like YouTube now allow payouts via PayPal’s PYUSD. Crypto is also used for purchasing digital goods and services, such as domain registrations, VPNs, and hosting, with companies like Namecheap and Mullvad accepting it.
Additionally, crypto supports the digitization of physical collectibles, with tokenized versions of items like Pokémon cards gaining popularity. In DeFi and GameFi, users engage in token swaps, yield farming, and play-to-earn games, though these remain niche. Decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) use crypto for onchain governance, though participation is limited to crypto-native users. While challenges like banking restrictions and bot cheating persist, crypto is growing by reducing friction in global digital transactions.
cointelegraph12/15 14:05