The world of cryptocurrencies is experiencing a quiet crisis. While the spotlight is often on big players like Bitcoin and Ethereum, a more subtle but significant phenomenon is unfolding behind the scenes: the mass disappearance of tokens. Since the beginning of 2025, nearly 800 cryptocurrencies have been delisted, marking the most significant quarterly drop in the history of the sector.
A Shadow Crash: More Severe Than in 2022
Despite a strong finish to 2024, with rising crypto adoption, soaring trading volumes, and a new high of 10,700 digital currencies listed — according to data from CryptoPresales.com — the mood shifted abruptly in early 2025. Just three months into the year, 780 cryptocurrencies vanished from platforms, a loss far steeper than the 2022 crash, where only 400 coins were delisted during a similar period.
What’s behind this sudden downturn? A combination of regulatory uncertainties, global macroeconomic tensions, and aggressive trade policies, particularly from the Trump administration, which reactivated trade wars with several key international partners.
Thousands of Tokens with No Real Value
This digital cleanup reveals an uncomfortable truth: the majority of cryptocurrencies hold little to no real value. Recent figures show that 98% of the coins in circulation are worth less than a dollar. Just 49 of them have surpassed the $100 mark, and only 19 coins are valued over $1,000. In other words, most projects launched during speculative “bull runs” simply won’t stand the test of time or regulatory scrutiny. These ephemeral tokens, often created in the heat of the moment, are left abandoned by their creators, deserted by investors, and ultimately removed from exchanges.
An Increasing Concentration of Power
As this purge unfolds, the remaining major cryptocurrencies are emerging stronger. According to data from CoinMarketCap, the top ten cryptocurrencies now account for 90% of the market’s total value, up from 86.5% last December. This trend towards centralization underscores that only a few giants like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Binance Coin continue to earn the trust and attract capital.
The wipeout of smaller tokens serves as a stark reminder of a critical reality often ignored in optimistic discussions about the “crypto revolution”: the vast majority of digital projects have no solid foundation. Whether it’s overblown technological promises, pump-and-dump schemes, or outright fraud, the market is flooded with empty projects.
For individual investors diving into the world of cryptocurrencies, this latest development serves as a cautionary tale. The reality is that the vast majority of these digital assets don’t have staying power. For those who still believe in the potential of a decentralized economy, this “natural cleaning” process may be the necessary selection that clears the way for more sustainable, reliable projects to emerge.
