3 Altcoins to Watch as Holiday Season Drives Crypto Adoption: Chainlink, Dogecoin, and Monad

The 2025 holiday season has emerged as a pivotal catalyst for crypto adoption, with institutional and retail momentum converging in ways that redefine market dynamics. As global crypto activity surges-driven by regulatory clarity, ETF launches, and AI-driven consumer behavior-three altcoins stand out for their strategic positioning: Chainlink (LINK), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Monad (MONAD). For long-term investors, understanding their unique trajectories during this period offers critical insights into entry points and risk-reward profiles.

1. Chainlink (LINK): The Institutional Gateway to DeFi Integration

Chainlink's role as a decentralized oracle network has solidified its position as a cornerstone of DeFi and real-world asset (RWA) ecosystems. By Q1 2025, its Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol had expanded to 50 blockchains, enabling seamless data verification across fragmented networks. This infrastructure underpins $26.42 trillion in Transaction Value Enabled (TVE) and $100 billion in Total Value Secured (TVS), reflecting robust institutional trust.

The holiday season amplified this momentum. The launch of Grayscale's Chainlink Trust ETF (GLNK) on December 2, 2025, marked a watershed moment. The ETF attracted $37 million in net inflows on its first day, driving LINK's price up 7% to $14.40. Open interest for LINK futures surged 24% to $630 million, signaling strong bullish sentiment. For long-term investors, this institutional adoption-coupled with Chainlink's expanding use cases in tokenized assets-positions it as a defensive play in a market increasingly dominated by institutional capital.

2. Dogecoin (DOGE): Retail Resilience in a Meme-Driven Market

Dogecoin's narrative remains rooted in retail enthusiasm, buoyed by social media virality and endorsements from figures like Elon Musk. Despite institutional skepticism, DOGE's 24-hour price surge of 4.03% to $0.1469 in early December 2025 underscores its enduring appeal. Network activity, including a three-month high, in active addresses, further highlights its grassroots traction.

However, institutional adoption has lagged. While Grayscale's GDOG ETF launched in late November, trading volumes collapsed to $142,000 by December 8-far below the $3.23 million peak. This disparity reflects the challenges of monetizing meme-based assets in institutional formats. For retail investors, DOGE's price action during the holiday season suggests a speculative opportunity, particularly if macroeconomic optimism persists. Yet, its reliance on social sentiment makes it a high-volatility bet.

3. Monad (MONAD): A Skeptical Outlook Amid Ambiguous Metrics

Monad, a Layer 1 blockchain, faces an uphill battle in 2025. Industry critics have warned of a potential 99% decline in its token value due to a lack of real-world use cases. Unlike Chainlink and Dogecoin, Monad's adoption metrics for December 2025 remain opaque, with no holiday-specific data reported. This ambiguity raises red flags for long-term investors.

The broader retail environment, however, offers mixed signals. Cyber Week 2025 saw $44.2 billion in online sales, with AI-driven commerce surging 805% year-over-year. While these trends could indirectly benefit blockchain infrastructure, Monad's absence from key adoption indices suggests it has yet to capture meaningful retail or institutional traction. For now, it remains a speculative play with limited visibility.

Strategic Entry Points for Long-Term Investors

• Chainlink (LINK): The ETF-driven institutional inflow in December 2025 presents a low-risk entry point. Investors should monitor TVS growth and CCIP expansion as leading indicators of sustained adoption.
• Dogecoin (DOGE): A contrarian approach may suit risk-tolerant investors, leveraging its retail-driven price action while hedging against macroeconomic volatility.
• Monad (MONAD): Given its lack of concrete metrics and industry skepticism, Monad is best approached with caution. Investors should wait for clear use-case developments before committing capital.

Conclusion

The 2025 holiday season has underscored crypto's evolving role in global finance, with Chainlink and Dogecoin leading the charge in institutional and retail adoption, respectively. While Monad's future remains uncertain, the broader market's resilience-driven by AI commerce and ETF innovation-offers a fertile ground for strategic investments. For long-term investors, balancing exposure to established infrastructure (Chainlink) with speculative retail plays (Dogecoin) may yield the most robust returns.