Polkadot and Cardano Lead Weekend Rally in CoinDesk 20 Index 2025 Update

While the king of crypto takes a breather, altcoin heavyweights are stepping up to the plate. As of December 29, 2025, the CoinDesk 20 Index climbed 0.4% to reach 2696.43. The rally was fueled by standout performances from Polkadot (DOT) and Cardano (ADA), which rose 6.0% and 4.2% respectively since Friday afternoon.

DOT and ADA Outperform as Bitcoin Stagnates

Fifteen out of the 20 assets in the index are trading in the green. However, the market sentiment remains mixed as Bitcoin (BTC) dipped 0.3%, falling below the $88,000 mark as Nasdaq futures showed weakness. Aave (AAVE) also struggled, shedding 2.6%. This divergence suggests that investors are rotating capital into major Layer-1 ecosystems that lagged during the mid-year rally.

Structural Progress Meets Stagnant Prices

The year 2025 has been a paradox for the blockchain industry. While institutional milestones like Bitmine's 4.1 million ETH hoard and Strategy's latest $109 million Bitcoin purchase highlight growing adoption, token prices haven't always followed suit. Notably, South Korea's Mirae Asset is reportedly eyeing an acquisition of the Korbit exchange, signaling that the bridge between traditional finance and crypto is strengthening despite the price volatility.