Even While the World Bank Says Economic Growth Slowest Since 2008, the Case for BTC Keeps Growing

The World Bank doctor is in, and he’s got some bad news.

The world economy is on course for a 2.3% growth, down from 2.7% in 2024. And hey, growth is good, right? Except that in this case, 2.3% is the weakest performance in 17 years. The only time when this was worse was during outright recessions.

And even that hides some uncomfortable realities; the low growth rates aren’t distributed evenly, with many developing economies perilously close to recession already. The sole ray of light in all the world bank’s doom and gloom? Crypto – especially Bitcoin – continues to grow steadily.

In fact, Bitcoin could be on pace to rival gold’s massive market cap and serve as one of the linchpins of the world economy moving forward.

Trade, Tariffs Main Culprits Behind Poor Growth

The World Bank’s June 2025 report paints a bleak picture: global growth has slowed to 2.3%, the weakest non-recession year since 2008.

The bank’s own analysis points to two primary causes.

Trade discord, particularly over tariffs, are one of the main contributing factors. There’s been a gradual slowdown in global trade growth for a while now:

• 5.1 percent in the 2000s
• 4.6 percent in the 2010s
• 2.6 percent in the 2020s

But trade discord has more recently been fueled by tariffs. In particular, US tariffs. Largely because of US tariffs (and tariff uncertainty), world trade volumes are projected to rise just 1.8%, less than half of the pre-pandemic average. The trendline – 5.1%, to 4.6%, to 2.6%, to 1.8% – does not bode well for profitable international trade.

Tariffs act as trade barriers, and have intensified geopolitical risk and discouraged investment, leading to a decline in private sector confidence across the board.

Having a large economy hasn’t completely eliminated the effects of the slowdown, either. Major economies such as the U.S. (1.4% growth forecast) and the Eurozone (0.9–1.2%) are losing steam fast. The World Bank warned that the economy may enter a prolonged slump without coordinated policy responses and de-escalation of trade wars.

And the impacts of that slump won’t be felt evenly.

Developing Economies Hit Hard

Developing countries are bearing the brunt of this slowdown:

• Nearly two-thirds of emerging economies are now growing below their 10-year average
• Per capita income growth lags behind population increases in many regions

Africa and Latin America, in particular, face debt crises, sluggish investment, and inflationary pressures, even as their populations are set to explode.

For instance, sub-Saharan Africa is expected to see a nearly 20% population growth by the end of the decade.

The report highlights that over 50% of low-income countries are now at high risk of debt distress.

Compounding the issue are higher interest rates in advanced economies, which draw capital away from emerging markets.

Without structural reforms, new investment in infrastructure, and better access to capital markets, these economies may remain stuck in low-growth traps. And this would weaken the impact of strong economies on the global outlook and further destabilizing global economic prospects. But even with the mounting economic pressures, one asset class – and one asset – moves from strength to strength.

Bitcoin On Pace To Rival Gold

Traditionally, gold has been the go-to safe haven during periods of economic uncertainty. That trend continues, with gold climbing over 18% year-on-year, reflecting investor anxiety.

But this time, Bitcoin is joining it.

$BTC has surged more than 54% over the past 12 months, and now commands a market capitalization of approximately $2.08T. That’s still only one-tenth the size of gold’s $23T market cap. But what’s striking is that both gold and Bitcoin have surged in tandem.

Annual average gold prices are expected to reach a record high this year, supported by safe haven flows, before plateauing in 2026-27.

—World Bank

Crypto and bitcoin adoption have followed suit, with institutions in particular taking notice. According to Bitwise’s March 2023 report, crypto adoption among financial advisors has doubled in the past year, with major financial institutions turning to crypto products.

Add in the success of $BTC ETFs, with over $40B in net inflows since launching last year, and the intersection of crypto and tradfi is becoming ever more apparent.

Corporations are also getting involved, with incredible growth in the Bitcoin and crypto treasury strategy pioneered by (Micro)Strategy and Michael Saylor.

Bitcoin is increasingly seen as a hedge not just against inflation, but against slow growth and systemic risk. And note that adoption isn’t limited to economically prosperous countries.

Some of the same developing economies most likely to bear the brunt of a global slowdown topped the list of crypto adoption in 2024.

How can you prepare for both a global slowdown and crypto growth? It all starts with your crypto wallet.

Best Wallet ($BEST) – Be Ready for the Fully-Integrated Crypto Economy

To be Bitcoin-ready, you’ll need the best Web3 crypto wallet around. Fortunately, Best Wallet token ($BEST) and the Best Wallet app have you covered.

Best Wallet provides a simple, seamless crypto wallet that doesn’t skimp on security and comes loaded with features: biometric security, MPC, multi-wallet ecosystem, and even an upcoming Best Card to spend your crypto smoothly.

The $BEST token supercharges the whole thing by lowering transaction fees, increasing staking rewards, and generally improving overall wallet utility.

Given the broader crypto adoption trends, it’s no surprise that the non-custodial crypto wallet market has grown to $11B – and Best Wallet is on course to capture the lion’s share.

It’s also the only crypto presale wallet, providing a one-stop shop for finding and researching the best crypto presales to invest in.

The ongoing presale has raised $13.3M so far, with tokens priced at $0.025175. Learn how to buy Best Wallet Token, and see why we think $BEST could hit $0.072 by the end of the year – an impressive 185% increase — in our Best Wallet token price prediction.

Visit the Best Wallet presale page.

Can Bitcoin Stave Off Global Recession?

While Bitcoin can’t reverse slowing GDP or restart global trade on its own, it may play a critical hedging role in what’s shaping up to be the weakest economic decade in over 60 years.

Bitcoin is uniquely positioned alongside gold as a pillar of store-of-value investing. With central banks limited in their ability to stimulate due to high debt (the US national debt could hit nearly $35T within months) and persistent inflation, market participants are turning to assets outside the traditional system. Could Bitcoin not only match gold’s market cap, but also become the primary hedge of the next financial cycle?

Do your own research and come to your own conclusions. This isn’t financial advice.

But get a crypto wallet, just in case.