December 18, 2024 - Staff
2024 was a memorable year for Bitcoin and the entire cryptocurrency sector. After reaching new all-time highs in March and October, Bitcoin crossed the symbolic threshold of $100,000 in December, solidifying its position as a global benchmark asset. The approval of Bitcoin ETFs in January marked a crucial turning point, stimulating significant inflows of institutional capital. Further momentum at the end of the year came from Trump’s statements regarding a U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve. With these developments, the outlook for 2025 appears positive for Bitcoin’s adoption and price growth.
Bitcoin has surpassed $2 trillion in market capitalization, making it the seventh-largest global asset by value. According to Ferdinando Ametrano, CEO of CheckSig, “The approval of Bitcoin ETFs has opened the doors to institutional investors. BlackRock and Fidelity have raised nearly $50 billion, breaking any historical record for ETF fundraising.”
Major funds and central banks have also started including Bitcoin in their portfolios. Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs revealed Bitcoin ETF investments in their respective quarterly reports, while the central banks of Norway and Switzerland acquired shares of MicroStrategy, the U.S.-based company known for being the world’s largest Bitcoin holder. Ametrano notes: “Bitcoin has entered the phase of institutionalization. We are witnessing a structural change, with long-lasting effects that will unfold in the coming years.”
The prospects for 2025 are promising, and Ametrano predicts Bitcoin could easily surpass $140,000: “Much will depend on the implementation of Trump’s promises, including the pardon of Ross Ulbricht and the creation of a national strategic Bitcoin reserve. However, the European market will drive growth.”
Indeed, with the introduction of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation in June, the European Union’s regulatory framework has become clear and inclusive. “Thanks to MiCA, the European capital market will open up even more over the next 12-18 months. This will prevent the dramatic price retracements observed in the past, favoring a growth path that is certainly very volatile but more gradual,” Ametrano adds.
The banking sector is also set for a radical transformation. Michele Mandelli, managing partner of CheckSig, believes that “we will see hundreds of Italian and European operators enter the crypto services market. Within three years, we estimate that one out of every two banks in Italy will offer crypto services, such as trading, custody, and advisory. Banks have the opportunity to better serve current customers and attract new ones: CheckSig is ready to support them in this transition.”
2024 was also the year of “clean-up” in the crypto sector. Regulatory interventions in the U.S., with rulings and sanctions against FTX and Binance, have strengthened trust in an ecosystem that increasingly aims for transparency. “Bitcoin adoption is an unstoppable phenomenon, but trust remains the fundamental pillar for sustainable growth,” concludes Ametrano. “Reliable operators like CheckSig, with secure custody solutions, external audits, and insurance coverage, are an essential reference point for the entire sector.”
CheckSig, Italy’s leader in crypto services, has distinguished itself with its focus on security, transparency, and compliance. In 2024, the company launched several key innovations, including:
These innovations contributed to record-breaking results:
After completing a Series A investment round of €2.7 million in April, with a post-money valuation of €25 million, CheckSig announced the launch of an extension, with a pre-money valuation of €30 million. The goal is to accelerate growth and support the company’s internationalization in 2025.
With a rapidly evolving market and unprecedented growth opportunities, CheckSig is positioning itself as the undisputed leader in Italy’s crypto sector, ready to drive change and support the adoption of Bitcoin and crypto-assets globally.
About CheckSig
Founded in 2019 as a spin-off of the Digital Gold Institute, Italy’s leading think tank on Bitcoin, crypto-assets, and blockchain, CheckSig is an Italian fintech offering Bitcoin and crypto solutions for private and institutional investors. Its mission is to make access to this new investment asset class simple and secure, offering buying and selling, custody, staking, tax compliance, training, and information: an integrated, reliable, and transparent ecosystem, also available in a B2B2C logic as a Crypto-as-a-Service technological infrastructure clear.checksig.com. CheckSig is the first in the world to provide public proof-of-reserves since 2020 and is still the only custodian to do so; it is the only crypto entity in Italy with insurance coverage (Munich RE) and SOC1/SOC2 Type II attestations, i.e., continuous audits conducted by Deloitte on the quality of system and organizational controls. Since 2024, it is the first and so far the only crypto service provider to act as a tax withholding agent in Italy. It also serves as the custodian of the collateral for euro loans secured by crypto-assets.
Contacts: press@checksig.com
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