Edelman: Crypto's Real Growth Happens Off the Price Chart

Ric Edelman, the longtime financial advisor and crypto advocate, said the industry's most important growth story is not visible on the price chart. Investor sentiment and industry fundamentals are moving in opposite directions, he argued, and that gap is where the real development is taking place.

Wall Street firms are increasing their involvement in digital assets even as retail apathy persists, Edelman said. He pointed to tokenization, derivatives infrastructure, and stablecoin settlement as areas where institutional money is flowing. The CLARITY Act, a bill that would give digital assets a clearer regulatory framework, could shape the sector's trajectory in the months ahead, he added.

Crypto's political coalition is showing signs of strain, Edelman said. Recent primaries in New York, Maryland, and Utah saw more than $8 million in spending from crypto-backed political action committees, a signal that the sector is trying to defend its interests even as internal disagreements surface. The fate of that legislation will test whether the industry can hold together a bipartisan push for clearer rules.