Deep Dive
1. Network Upgrade Aftermath (Mixed Impact)
Overview: The May 2025 Velma hard fork introduced VM Limits and BigInt, expanding BCH’s DeFi capabilities. However, developer activity remains concentrated, and adoption metrics like daily active addresses (6-year low as of July 2025) lag behind price gains.
What this means: While the upgrade positions BCH to compete with Ethereum and Solana in smart contracts, sustained price upside requires tangible app deployment. Historical precedents (e.g., CashTokens adoption in 2023) show BCH rallies correlate with utility breakthroughs, not just technical upgrades.
2. Tether Exit Impact (Bearish Risk)
Overview: Tether ends USDT issuance on Bitcoin Cash SLP on September 1, 2025, after community pushback. BCH-based USDT accounts for ~3% of its total stablecoin liquidity.
What this means: Reduced stablecoin accessibility may dampen trading activity on BCH-centric platforms. For context, EOS saw a 40% DEX volume drop after losing USDT support in 2024. BCH’s 24h volume ($467M) could face similar pressure, though exchanges like Binance may offset this with wrapped alternatives.
3. ETF Speculation (Bullish Catalyst)
Overview: Grayscale filed for a BCH ETF on September 10, 2025, following Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF successes. Approval could mirror BITO’s 2021 debut, which drew $1.2B inflows in 3 months.
What this means: ETF-driven demand might counterbalance Tether’s exit. BCH’s 90-day correlation with BTC (0.82) suggests Bitcoin ETF inflows could spill over, especially if altcoin season strengthens (CMC Altcoin Season Index at 69, +64% monthly).
Conclusion
BCH’s 2025 trajectory hinges on balancing technical potential with liquidity shifts. The Velma upgrade offers DeFi relevance, but Tether’s exit tests resilience. Watch the Grayscale ETF decision by Q4 2025 – approval could propel BCH toward $800 resistance. Can BCH leverage its low-fee niche to outpace stablecoin dominance in payments?