Should You Buy Stacks in 2025?

Why trust HelloSafe?

At HelloSafe, our expert has been monitoring the development of the Stacks cryptocurrency for over three years. Every month, tens of thousands of users in New Zealand trust us to analyse market trends and identify the best investment opportunities. Our analyses are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. In line with our ethical charter, HelloSafe has never purchased Stacks nor received any compensation from entities associated with its ecosystem.

Stacks in brief

How much does 1 Stacks cost?

The price of Stacks is down this week. As of today, STX is trading at approximately NZ$1.08, showing a negative 8.2% change in the past 24 hours and falling 9.9% over the last week. The market capitalisation sits near NZ$1.66 billion, with an average 3-month daily trading volume of around NZ$220.4 million. Stacks ranks 44th among cryptocurrencies by market cap, with 1.53 billion STX in circulation, representing about 0.10% of the total crypto market. As with most digital assets, rapid price swings make STX a dynamic option for Kiwi investors looking to capture potential growth in the evolving crypto space.

Our full review of the Stacks cryptocurrency

Have you been tracking the evolution of Stacks over the past three years and wondered how this Bitcoin layer-2 asset might position itself moving into 2025? Our team has rigorously analyzed the latest Stacks data—leveraging on-chain indicators, technical patterns, market statistics, and competitive landscape—processed through proprietary quantitative models. So, why could Stacks once again emerge as a strategic entry point within the Bitcoin smart contract ecosystem in 2025?

Recent Performance and Market Context

Price Evolution and Recent Developments

Stacks (STX) currently stands at $0.6522 USD (as of June 7, 2025), with a market capitalization flirting with the $1 billion mark and a robust 24h trading volume above $132M. Despite recent pullbacks—down 8.2% over 24h and nearly 10% in the past week—STX has nonetheless delivered an impressive +27.7% over 6 months and sits +72.5% year-on-year. After a spectacular rally in Q1 2025, where the asset surged over 400%, the current price consolidates more than 83% below its all-time high of $3.86 (April 2024). For market tacticians, such retracement phases post-parabolic runs have historically set up high-probability re-accumulation zones, provided foundational catalysts align.

Notably, the successful Nakamoto Upgrade in 2024 and the launch of sBTC have solidified Stacks as the #2 Bitcoin Layer-2 by native BTC supply, introducing finality and speed unmatched by previous versions. These upgrades, together with a new roadmap targeting $1B+ TVL and the high-profile BitGo institutional custody integration, underline the growing enterprise relevance and technical credibility of the protocol.

Macro and Sector Outlook

The broader cryptocurrency environment shows strong support for Bitcoin-centric innovation. The ongoing appetite for decentralized finance (DeFi) and institutional-quality custody solutions, combined with rising on-chain activity and constructive regulatory signals in the U.S. and other developed markets, further highlight favorable conditions for strategically positioned assets like Stacks.

Technical Analysis

Key Indicators

• RSI (14d): 45.4 – firmly neutral, suggesting neither overheated nor oversold conditions.
• MACD: -0.011 – mild bearish overtone, yet this often reverses quickly following major upgrades or milestone reach.
• Support: $0.6190–$0.6446 – repeatedly tested levels that have held during recent volatility, offering a technical safety net.
• Resistance: $0.7170–$0.7396 – breakout above these levels could trigger rapid momentum continuation, as seen in the Q1 2025 parabolic phase.

Moving Averages and Structure

• The current price is above the 20-day MA ($0.6482) but beneath the 50, 100, and 200-day averages, indicating an asset in transition—poised for upside on any sustained bullish trigger.
• Given the compression of short-term and longer-term averages, the technical structure appears primed for mean reversion or upward inflection on renewed investor flows.
• Volume remains consistently strong ($132M+), supporting confidence in the price discovery process and ensuring depth for institutional entry.

Fundamental Analysis

Adoption and Ecosystem Expansion

• sBTC (trustless BTC bridge) is live: With over 5,000 sBTC minted, dramatically improving composability and capital efficiency on Bitcoin.
• DeFi and developer activity: Ecosystem growth is robust, leveraging the unique Clarity smart contract language, while ongoing developer incentives and roadmap targets ($1B+ TVL) lay ground for continuous expansion.
• Institutional engagement: The integration with BitGo and other custody providers is translating to growing enterprise demand and participation.
• Regulatory clarity: As the first SEC-qualified token offering, Stacks offers rare reassurance to risk-conscious investors in a rapidly changing regulatory environment.

Valuation and Structural Edge

• Market cap/TVL ratio stands at 4.8, indicating relative undervaluation compared to DeFi/Layer-2 peers.
• Fully diluted valuation remains within competitive range, especially considering the low concentration of token ownership (no single entity >10%, early investors
• Technology edge: 100% Bitcoin finality and Proof-of-Transfer consensus mean STX secures a unique niche—aligning the security of Bitcoin with programmability and innovation pipelines that even Ethereum alternatives find tough to replicate.

Volume, Liquidity and Dominance

• Top-tier liquidity, with daily volume consistently exceeding $130M.
• Widespread availability across major global exchanges (Binance, Coinbase, Gate.io, OKX, Bybit).
• Dominance as the second largest Bitcoin L2 by BTC supply and climbing rapidly in DeFi TVL rankings.

Positive Catalysts and Outlook

Growth Engines

• Roadmap milestones: With the TVL target of $1B+ and aggressive ecosystem buildout objectives, new product releases and major partnerships could serve as imminent triggers.
• sBTC scaling and integrations: Each increment in sBTC utility translates directly into more locked capital and on-chain usage—acting as a flywheel for valuation and adoption.
• Ongoing protocol upgrades and improved developer tooling will lower barriers to entry for both new builders and end users.
• Institutional adoption: The BitGo partnership is just the beginning; similar moves from large custodians or traditional finance players could lead to a step-change in demand.

Regulatory and Macro Backdrop

• Regulatory clarity, thanks to SEC qualification, offers significant de-risking compared to most U.S.-listed crypto assets.
• Growing global interest in Bitcoin-native DeFi, supported by positive macroeconomic trends towards digital assets and fintech innovation.

Investment Strategies According to Horizon

Short-Term Positioning

• Current consolidation near technical support ($0.6190–$0.6446) in the context of strong fundamental upgrades may represent a window for tactical entries.
• A decisive move above $0.7170 could confirm new bullish momentum and invite trend-following capital back into the market.

Medium-Term Tactics

• Participation ahead of high-impact roadmap releases (e.g., further sBTC integrations or TVL milestones) gives exposure to potential upside at a relative discount.
• Periods of moderate price volatility, such as now—following the Q1 blow-off—have historically set the base for renewed multi-month advances.

Long-Term Opportunity

• With a discounted price (83% below ATH) yet proven technological delivery—Stacks may offer an asymmetric risk/reward for those seeking exposure to the “Bitcoin everything” narrative via DeFi, NFTs, and smart contracts.
• As institutional, regulatory and developer engagement deepens, Stacks’ market position could compound in value, paralleling the secular trend of Bitcoin adoption.

Stacks Price Projections (2025–2029)

Is Now the Right Time to Consider Stacks?

Key Strengths Recap:

• Sustained high liquidity and exchange availability
• Robust year-on-year and six-month gains despite recent pullbacks
• Unmatched positioning as a Bitcoin-native smart contract and DeFi platform
• Advanced, proven technological upgrades (Nakamoto, sBTC, Clarity language)
• Institutional adoption accelerating on back of BitGo and regulatory clarity
• Expanding developer ecosystem and clear product roadmap targeting exponential TVL growth

With Stacks consolidating at robust support post-parabolic expansion, its ecosystem enjoying rapid growth, and disruptive protocol catalysts actively playing out, the asset’s fundamentals justify a renewed interest from both tactical and strategic investors. In an environment increasingly prioritizing secure, Bitcoin-aligned smart contract solutions, Stacks is uniquely leveraged to benefit from both the macro narrative and its own innovation engine.

Stacks remains a high-volatility asset offering dynamic investment opportunities, warranting disciplined risk management. The recent retracement, reinforced by both technical and fundamental tailwinds, suggests that Stacks could well be entering a new phase of structural growth. Amid improved regulatory clarity and clear technical targets—such as the $1B+ TVL milestone—Stacks seems poised to reward investors who act on conviction, particularly those willing to anticipate the next wave of adoption and ecosystem development.

How to buy Stacks?

Simple and secure, buying the cryptocurrency Stacks (STX) online is straightforward for investors in New Zealand, especially when using a regulated platform. There are two main approaches: spot purchase, giving you direct ownership of the tokens in your personal wallet, and CFD (Contract for Difference) trading, letting you bet on STX price movements without actual ownership. Each method has unique risks and advantages, and your choice will depend on your investment horizon and risk profile. For more details, see the platform comparison further down this page.

Spot Purchase of Stacks

A spot purchase means you buy Stacks (STX) directly and hold them in your own crypto wallet. This gives you true ownership and control over your investment. Platforms typically charge a fixed transaction fee, often around 0.5%–1%, or a set amount in New Zealand dollars per trade.

Example

Suppose the price of Stacks is NZ$1.09 per STX (based on a recent USD/NZD exchange rate). With an investment of NZ$1,000 and a transaction fee of about NZ$5, you could purchase around 912 STX.

✔️ Gain scenario

If the STX price rises 10%, your portfolio is now worth NZ$1,100. Result: You have a gross gain of NZ$100, a 10% increase on your investment.

Trading Stacks via CFDs

CFD (Contract for Difference) trading lets you speculate on the price changes of Stacks, without owning the coins. You can open long or short positions and often apply leverage (borrowed funds) for a larger market exposure. CFD platforms in New Zealand usually charge a spread (the difference between buy/sell price), plus an overnight funding fee when positions are held over several days.

Example

You invest NZ$1,000 in a STX CFD, with 5x leverage, for a total market exposure of NZ$5,000.

✔️ Gain scenario

If Stacks rises 8%, your position gains 8% × 5 (leverage) = 40%. Result: You earn NZ$400 profit on your NZ$1,000 stake (excluding fees).

Choosing the Best Platform: Essential Tips

Before you invest in Stacks, carefully compare the fees, security features, and terms offered by various platforms. Each method suits different investor profiles: direct spot purchases are ideal if you want to own and store STX yourself, while CFDs appeal to active traders aiming for short-term gains. Your optimal choice depends on your goals, risk appetite, and trading experience. For up-to-date comparisons, review the platform comparator available below on this page.

Our 7 tips for buying Stacks

The latest news about Stacks

Stacks maintains strong institutional credibility following BitGo integration and SEC-compliant token status, supporting NZ regulatory alignment.

Within the past week, Stacks has highlighted its strengthened institutional appeal due to its custodial integration with BitGo, a leading global crypto custodian, which eases enterprise-grade access to STX, and reassures investors and asset managers—including those in New Zealand—about asset security and compliance standards. Coupled with the platform’s historic SEC-qualified status, this creates a clear regulatory narrative that may serve New Zealand market participants, who are operating under a cautiously expanding regulatory regime, encouraging local exchanges or fund structures to consider STX for compliant service offerings.

Stacks’ ecosystem experienced a notable network upgrade, enhancing transaction finality and speed, with measurable impact on developer sentiment and reliability.

Recent adoption of the Nakamoto upgrade has successfully delivered 100% Bitcoin finality and improved transaction throughput by a factor of ten, securing significant attention from technical communities worldwide. For New Zealand’s active developer and blockchain innovation sector, these advancements increase the viability of Stacks as a platform for building secure, Bitcoin-backed DeFi and smart contract applications, potentially catalyzing local startup experimentation and R&D partnerships leveraging Stacks’ open and verified infrastructure.

Liquidity and market access for STX remain robust, with daily trading volumes above $132M and broad global exchange support.

Amid a modest correction over the week, STX’s 24-hour trading volume exceeded $130M on top-tier exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase, both accessible to New Zealand residents via compliant international channels. This high liquidity enables local investors to transact efficiently and ensures straightforward access for institutional participants and registered VASPs aiming to facilitate STX trading or custody.

Despite short-term negative price action, Stacks delivers strong medium- and long-term growth, outperforming the broader market context.

While STX experienced a 9.9% weekly decline, its six- and twelve-month performances remain positive at +27.7% and +72.5% respectively, suggesting resilience and consistent demand beyond immediate volatility. For New Zealand investors and portfolio managers, these metrics, combined with bullish analyst price targets (up to $2.82 by year-end in the most optimistic scenarios), position STX as a compelling Layer 2 asset aligned with the ongoing Bitcoin adoption narrative.

Roadmap developments and new product launches signal positive momentum, with targeted TVL expansion relevant for local DeFi innovators.

Stacks’ recently published May 2025 roadmap emphasizes the ecosystem’s ambitions, particularly its goal to surpass $1B in Total Value Locked—currently standing at $208M—as sBTC issuance grows. With New Zealand’s fintech sector and DeFi startups closely tracking opportunities to bridge Bitcoin liquidity and security with compliant product design, these signals create a constructive outlook for further regional engagement and partnership exploration around the Stacks protocol.

FAQ

P. Laurore

Finance expert

Co-founder of HelloSafe and holder of a Master's degree in finance, Pauline has recognised expertise in personal finance, which she uses to help users better understand and optimise their financial choices. At HelloSafe, Pauline plays a key role in designing clear, educational content on savings, investments and personal finance. Passionate about financial education, Pauline strives, with every piece of content she oversees, to provide reliable, transparent and unbiased information for independent and informed financial management. To this end, she has tested over 100 trading platforms to help internet users make the right choices.