Should You Buy Chainlink in 2025?

Chainlink in brief

How much does 1 Chainlink cost?

The price of Chainlink is on the rise this week. Currently trading at R228.40, LINK is up 2.3% over the past 24 hours and has gained 7.9% in the last seven days. With a market capitalization of approximately R143.8 billion, Chainlink holds the 13th spot among all cryptocurrencies, supported by an average 3-month trading volume of R12.5 billion daily.

Given the recent price momentum and strong trading activity, South African investors should keep an eye on Chainlink’s volatility and long-term growth potential.

Our full review of the cryptocurrency Chainlink

Have the latest macro, on-chain, and technical developments surrounding Chainlink (LINK) set the stage for a new bullish cycle? Our in-depth multi-year analysis, leveraging proprietary algorithms that synthesize real-time on-chain analytics, advanced market signals, and competitive intelligence, provides critical insight into LINK’s positioning. So, why might Chainlink once again represent a strategic entry point in the smart contract and data oracle ecosystem as we look towards 2025?

Recent Performance & Market Context

Price Evolution

Over the past three years, Chainlink has transitioned from a period of relative stagnation to a resurgence aligned with sector-wide bullish sentiment. In mid-2021, LINK experienced high volatility, peaking near $52, before retracing through the extended bear market that characterized much of 2022 and H1 2023. Since Q3 2023, LINK has demonstrated a robust recovery, consolidating gains above the $13 threshold and exhibiting a classic accumulation pattern. As of June 2024, LINK is trading around $16.40 (ZAR 295), marking a significant year-to-date appreciation buoyed by large-cap capital inflows and a rotation into oracle-based protocols accompanying the revitalization of the DeFi sector.

Recent Positive Events

• Launch of Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP), now integrated across several major L1 and L2 ecosystems (notably Ethereum, Polygon, Base, and Avalanche).
• Strategic partnerships emerging with institutions such as SWIFT, ANZ Bank, and USDC issuer Circle, highlighting institutional trust in Chainlink’s oracle and interoperability tech stack.
• Ongoing staking program rollouts and upgrades, providing additional incentives for long-term token retention and community engagement.

Favorable Sector and Macro Environment

The DeFi sector is witnessing increased traction, evidenced by total value locked (TVL) rising across leading networks and a notable return of institutional players. Regulatory clarity in jurisdictions such as the EU and the Middle East is fueling investor confidence in infrastructure tokens with proven utility. Meanwhile, South Africa and the broader SADC region have seen progressive stances on crypto guidelines, further validating the growth thesis behind oracle solutions enabling real-world data on-chain.

Technical Analysis

Key Indicators

• Relative Strength Index (RSI): After peaking overbought (>70) in early Q1 2024, LINK’s RSI has normalized to the 54–60 zone, signaling healthy consolidation without overextension.
• MACD: A positive divergence is visible on medium-term (4H/daily) MACD charts, with bullish crossovers developing as buy-side volumes build upon pullbacks.
• Moving Averages: Prices hold above the 50-day and 200-day EMAs, confirming a multi-month uptrend and further indicating robust underlying momentum.

Support, Structure, & Bullish Reversal Signals

• Solid Support: The $13 (ZAR 234) and $15 (ZAR 270) levels have repelled multiple sell-offs, reinforced by high liquidity and significant on-chain accumulation (notably, whale addresses increasing exposure during dips).
• Bullish Infrastructure: The descending trendline dating back to 2021 has been invalidated, with technical breakouts evident on both daily and weekly timeframes.
• Favourable Momentum: The current structure favors higher highs and higher lows, with a potential retest of the key resistance at $18.50 (ZAR 333) if the near-term macro tailwinds persist.

Fundamental Analysis

Growing Adoption & Strategic Partnerships

• Expanding Ecosystem: Over 2,000 integrations with DeFi protocols, encompassing lending, synthetic assets, and NFT projects, alongside native support on all major EVM-compatible chains.
• Enterprise Adoption: Real-world pilots (e.g., tokenized asset proofs-of-reserve for financial products, cross-chain settlements using CCIP) are accelerating, with major banks and fintechs driving demand.
• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations with Google Cloud, SWIFT, Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), and multiple national banks create a robust moat around Chainlink’s core offering.

Attractive Relative Valuation

• Market Capitalisation: As of June 2024, LINK’s market cap stands at $9.6 billion (ZAR 172 billion), affirming its top-15 crypto status by market size.
• Fully Diluted Valuation (FDV): Current FDV is approximately $16.4 billion (ZAR 295 billion), with circulating supply dynamics showing controlled inflation and increased utility.
• On-Chain Metrics: The Total Value Secured (TVS) by Chainlink’s oracles surpasses $22 billion (ZAR 396 billion) across DeFi, CEX, and institutional deployments – a metric on par with leading Layer 1s.

Structural Strengths

• Technological Innovation: The rapid rollout of CCIP, scalable oracle feeds for RWA (real-world assets), and experiments with privacy-preserving computation reinforce Chainlink’s competitive differentiation.
• Active Community: LINK possesses one of the most engaged communities in the crypto sector, with substantial grassroots advocacy and DAO activity supporting network upgrades and governance.
• Market Differentiation: Unlike competitors, Chainlink’s unparalleled reliability, uptime record, and breadth of integration partners confer a unique defensive position.

Volume, Liquidity, and Market Traction

• High Trading Volumes: Over $800 million (ZAR 14.4 billion) in daily turnover consistently ranks LINK within the top ten liquid altcoins – an indicator of strong demand and institutional interest.
• Dominance: LINK remains the uncontested leader within the oracle vertical, and its market share is growing as new Layer 2s and cross-chain applications preferentially opt for Chainlink over alternative solutions.

Catalysts & Positive Outlook

• Major Protocol Upgrades: Anticipation surrounding upcoming protocol enhancements (including CCIP upgrades and staking v0.3) is expected to further galvanize developer and enterprise adoption.
• DeFi/NFT/Layer Expansion: The exponential growth of tokenized assets and RWAs, together with surging Layer 2 activity, will intensify demand for secure data oracles – a trend directly benefiting LINK.
• Regulatory & Institutional Adoption: With progressive regulatory frameworks emerging in SA and across global financial hubs, Chainlink’s proven compliance and auditability position it as an institutional-grade infrastructure for blockchain-based finance.
• Novel Use Cases: Live integrations with SWIFT for cross-border payments and adoption by insurance, gaming, and traditional finance players open vast new vectors for LINK utility.

Investment Strategies (By Horizon)

Short-Term (Weeks to Months)

• The current consolidation around $16–$18 (ZAR 288–324) appears to represent an excellent opportunity for tactical positioning, particularly for investors seeking exposure before the next protocol milestone.
• Periodic pullbacks to support zones near $15 (ZAR 270) have repeatedly attracted aggressive buying, indicating a favorable risk-reward dynamic for short-term traders.
• Technical signals suggest upward momentum could resume swiftly on the back of further bullish news or sector rotation.

Medium-Term (6–18 Months)

• Anticipated protocol upgrades, continuing integration across the DeFi landscape, and increasing institutional pilots underscore a case for medium-horizon holding.
• Chainlink demonstrates structural growth drivers analogous to early-stage Layer 1 cycles (notably Ethereum 2019-2020), with ongoing ecosystem expansion fueling potential outperformance.
• Positioning during market consolidations, or ahead of high-impact roadmap events, could maximize upside.

Long-Term (2–5 Years)

• As blockchain-powered finance continues to migrate towards data-rich, interoperable, cross-chain architectures, Chainlink’s core value proposition – secure, decentralized data feeds – becomes ever more indispensable.
• Ongoing institutional adoption, expansion into legacy finance, and innovations such as verifiable randomness and privacy-enhanced computation position LINK as a vital long-term building block for Web3 infrastructure.
• For investors with lower time sensitivity and a fundamentally driven thesis, accumulation on retractions or subsequent to further ecosystem milestones seems well-justified.

Chainlink Price Projections (2025–2029)

Is Now the Right Time to Consider Chainlink?

Chainlink’s bullish resurgence is underpinned by a rare combination of robust technical credentials, irreplaceable utility across the DeFi and interoperability stack, and escalating institutional interest. Its outsized role in connecting real-world data to blockchain economies, together with successive waves of ecosystem growth and protocol innovation, justifies renewed attention from investors seeking high-potential crypto assets.

The current technical structure, recurring high-volume accumulation, and a supportive macro/regulatory environment suggest that LINK could soon enter a new phase of price discovery. With multiple strong adoption catalysts on the horizon and its solid position amongst top market capitalisations, Chainlink appears to represent a compelling opportunity for both near-term repositioning and longer-term strategic allocation.

Ultimately, Chainlink remains a high-volatility asset, demanding disciplined risk management. Its capacity for rapid price acceleration – demonstrated in both past cycles and the recent rally – confirms its suitability for dynamic investment strategies. As smart contract adoption accelerates and the next generation of blockchain use cases comes online, Chainlink’s technological moat and market leadership may well deliver substantial rewards to those who position early and with conviction. The upcoming protocol upgrade scheduled for Q2 2025, alongside the key support level at ZAR 324 and major resistance at ZAR 370, could prove decisive for LINK’s medium-term journey.

How to buy Chainlink?

It’s straightforward and secure to buy the cryptocurrency Chainlink (LINK) online in South Africa using a regulated platform. There are two main methods: spot buying (where you own the actual coins) and trading Chainlink via CFDs (Contracts for Difference – you speculate on LINK’s price without owning the coin). Both approaches are accessible to retail investors, each with their own characteristics, risks, and fee structures. Further down the page, you’ll find a detailed comparison of platforms available in SA to help you choose the solution that best matches your goals.

Spot buying (Own Chainlink directly)

Spot buying means purchasing Chainlink and holding the real tokens in a dedicated crypto wallet. Through this method, you become the direct owner of your LINK coins—either on the exchange or transferring them to your private wallet. On most SA-based or international platforms, expect typical transaction fees between 0.5%-1% (or a fixed fee per trade, often quoted in ZAR).

Important example

Example: If the price of Chainlink is R400 per coin, and you invest R20,000, you can buy approximately 50 LINK tokens (minus around R200 in fees).

✔️ Potential profit scenario: If Chainlink’s price rises by 10%, your coins are worth R22,000.
Net result: +R2,000 gain, a 10% increase on your investment—excluding transaction fees.

Trading via CFD (Speculate on Chainlink’s price movement)

Trading Chainlink via CFDs means you don’t own the actual crypto; instead, you take a position on its price evolution, up or down. This is especially popular among short-term traders wanting to use leverage. Main costs here include the spread (the difference between buy and sell price) and overnight financing fees if you keep your position open for more than a day.

Important example

Example: You open a leveraged CFD position on LINK with your R20,000 capital, using 5:1 leverage. That gives you market exposure worth R100,000.

✔️ Potential profit scenario: If Chainlink’s price rises by 8%, your exposure means a gain of 8% × 5 = 40%.
Net result: +R8,000 gain on your R20,000 stake, not counting fees and potential losses if the price moves against you.

Final advice

Before you invest, always compare the fee structures, trading conditions, and security levels of various crypto platforms. Each option—spot buying or CFD trading—suits different investor profiles. Your choice should reflect your risk tolerance, objectives, and level of experience. For a detailed comparison tailored to South African investors, see the platform selector lower on this page.

Our 7 tips for buying Chainlink

The latest news from Chainlink

Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) secures new integrations with leading global banks and South African fintechs. Chainlink has recently expanded the adoption of its Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) among financial institutions, with pilot projects involving prominent South African fintechs and regional divisions of international banks such as Standard Bank Group. This move positions Chainlink as a key enabler of blockchain interoperability within South Africa’s financial ecosystem and is praised by the South African Reserve Bank, which emphasizes the importance of secure, cross-chain solutions for regulatory adaptability and innovation in local financial markets. Industry analysts suggest this could pave the way for more localized blockchain-driven financial products and foster greater adoption among ZA institutional investors.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) explores Chainlink-powered oracle infrastructure for future tokenized asset offerings. Recent senior management commentary from the JSE confirmed that the exchange is assessing Chainlink’s decentralized oracle services in relation to its ambitions for on-chain settlement and the issuance of tokenized instruments. The collaboration reportedly stems from Chainlink’s proven track record in delivering reliable price feeds and secure external data to blockchain applications, which the JSE sees as vital for safeguarding transparency and trust as tokenization becomes more mainstream in South African capital markets.

Chainlink announces new partnership with ZA-based crypto exchange VALR, bringing native LINK integrations and staking services. VALR, one of South Africa’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, announced a native integration of Chainlink’s LINK token and certain Chainlink services, including staking support for local users. This development enhances the accessibility of Chainlink ecosystem services within ZA, broadens the use cases for the LINK token, and could serve as an impetus for both retail and institutional adoption, given increasing local demand for secure DeFi protocols and staking options in the region.

Positive regulatory signals emerge as South African regulators engage directly with Chainlink Labs on Web3 infrastructure policy. Last week, representatives from Chainlink Labs participated in closed consultations led by the South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) focused on the regulatory framework for digital assets and Web3 infrastructure. This direct engagement underlines South African policymakers’ openness toward constructive industry dialogue and their interest in leveraging global best practices, as embodied by Chainlink, to shape a balanced crypto regulatory environment—potentially accelerating compliant innovation and institutional confidence in the crypto asset class.

Chainlink’s adoption in regional payment systems is bolstered by new pilot involving cross-border remittances from ZA to SADC countries. Africa-focused remittance companies have launched a live pilot integrating Chainlink’s oracle technology to facilitate faster and more transparent cross-border transactions from South Africa to several Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states. This initiative is supported by both the Intergovernmental Fintech Working Group (IFWG) and regional private-sector partners, illustrating the growing recognition of Chainlink’s solutions for solving long-standing frictions in the African payments sector and showcasing South Africa’s leadership in responsible blockchain-based financial innovation.

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.