Should You Buy Tezos in 2025?

Why trust HelloSafe?

At HelloSafe, our expert has been monitoring the evolution of the Tezos cryptocurrency for over three years. Every month, hundreds of thousands of users in South Africa trust us to decipher 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 Tezos nor received any compensation from entities associated with the Tezos ecosystem.

Tezos at a glance

How much does 1 Tezos cost?

The price of Tezos is up this week. As of now, Tezos (XTZ) is trading at approximately R10.58, showing a 2.6% gain over the past 24 hours and a weekly increase of 0.71%.

With South Africa’s growing appetite for digital assets, Tezos remains a volatile yet potentially promising option for forward-looking investors.

Our full opinion on the cryptocurrency Tezos

Have the latest market trends and blockchain innovation redefined the investment potential of the Tezos (XTZ) protocol? Our proprietary algorithms have processed three years of price evolution, market data, on-chain metrics and technical signals, benchmarked within the rapidly shifting Layer-1 ecosystem. So, why might Tezos re-emerge in 2025 as a strategic entry point for forward-looking investors in the programmable smart contract and digital asset sector?

Performance and Market Context

Recent Price Evolution

After a challenging 2024, Tezos trades at $0.567 (as of June 7, 2025), reflecting a volatile year: -67.7% over six months and -39.5% over twelve months. Yet, in the past 24 hours alone, XTZ gained 2.6%, and the seven-day trend has shifted marginally positive (+0.71%), underlining the increasing presence of buy-side flows near current support levels. This rapid retracement from late-2023 highs mirrors the harsh reality of the crypto bear cycle, but also sets up a scenario where valuation disconnect could breed substantial opportunity.

Positive Recent Developments

• Layer Upgrade "Quebec": Reduced block times (10s → 8s), slashed transaction finality to 16 seconds, and increased staking caps signal improved network efficiency and structural competitiveness.
• Etherlink (Layer-2) Growth: Etherlink’s transaction count soared +189% QoQ, overtaking core Layer-1. With $10.8M TVL and millions allocated to app incentives, Etherlink is rapidly becoming a gateway for DeFi, cross-chain bridging, and NFT development.

Investors' Macro and Sector Context

The overall crypto sector in 2025 is seeing early stages of cyclical recovery, buoyed by global appetite for yield, renewed institutional engagement in real-world asset tokenization, and demand for programmable blockchains with sustainable security models. Within this macro tailwind, blockchains that can clearly demonstrate technical progress, cost efficiency, and seamless Layer-1/Layer-2 interoperability stand out. Tezos is increasingly cited as meeting these requirements, reflecting its recent surge in developer activity and cross-chain partnerships.

Technical Analysis

Key Technical Indicators

• RSI (14d): 37.3 (neutral/lower side)—currently oversold but stabilizing, historically a zone attracting strategic accumulation during trend reversals.
• MACD: While still negative, the histogram shows significant seller exhaustion—this often precedes a shift in momentum, with price poised for upward consolidation if buy volume persists.
• Moving Averages: Price remains below all key EMAs, signalling a post-correction market but with clear room for mean reversion if catalysts emerge.

Support/Resistance & Momentum

• Key support: $0.529 (immediate), $0.52 (structural, multi-month).
• Key resistance: $0.611 (short-term), $0.657–$0.674 (Q2-Q3 target zone).
• Repeated holding of the $0.52–$0.53 region, despite broad sector volatility, testifies to robust buyer interest. Technically, a close above $0.611 would engage upside momentum traders and confirm an early-stage bullish reversal.

Short/Mid-Term Structure

Market structure remains in late-stage bottoming with bullish divergence seen on oscillators. Volatility is compressing—a classic precursor for trend acceleration, especially as macro and on-chain signals improve.

Fundamental Analysis

Accelerating Adoption & Ecosystem Maturity

• Developer Activity: >167 active monthly devs (Q1 2025), >4,400 contracts deployed—impressive for a non-VC-driven Layer-1 chain.
• Strategic Partnerships: Real-world asset tokenization (Uranium.io), interoperability with Lumia (RWA cross-chain flows), aggressive expansion in NFT/art verticals, and a flurry of DeFi integrations position Tezos as an ‘innovation-first’ chain.
• Network Evolution: Adoption of on-chain self-amendment has allowed for seamless upgrades, avoiding the hard forks that disrupt rival blockchains—instilling confidence in long-term supporters.

Attractive Relative Valuation

• Market Cap: $593M—modest compared to Layer-1 peers, suggesting room for repricing as sector recovery takes hold.
• Tokenomics: Infinite supply but adaptive emission, transparent staking yields (5–7% APY), and healthy incentive alignment for bakers and delegators.

Structural Strengths

• Governance: On-chain, decentralized, adaptive.
• Security: Formal verification of smart contracts—a rare feature among Layer-1s, attracting both institutional and enterprise developers.
• Liquidity and Market Depth: $14.45M daily trading volume facilitates major entries/exits; strong presence on global exchange platforms increases institutional accessibility.

Volume & Liquidity

Consistently high daily volumes and tight bid/ask spreads reinforce market confidence—even during phases of heavy volatility or macro headwinds. Tezos’s market positioning—solidly within the top-50 digital assets—makes significant price discovery in response to positive news possible.

Bullish Catalysts & Positive Outlook

Near-Term and Long-Term Triggers

• Protocol Upgrades: Ongoing rollout of the Data Availability Layer (DAL) and the ambitious Tezos X roadmap are set to dramatically enhance throughput, lower latency, and improve composability across applications.
• Layer-2 Growth: Etherlink’s surging TVL and substantial fiscal incentives could attract the next wave of developers and dApps, rapidly expanding the Layer-2 ecosystem atop Tezos.
• DeFi/NFT/Real-World Asset Expansion: First-mover partnerships and rapid protocol launches position Tezos to benefit disproportionately as crypto markets shift from speculation to utility.
• Favourable Regulation & Institutional Onboarding: Tezos’s history of compliance and audit readiness, plus its Swiss foundation structure, are seen as advantages as regulatory clarity increases across major jurisdictions.

Investment Strategies (By Horizon)

Short-Term

• Entry on Pullback: Current trading just above critical multi-month supports offers an attractive risk/reward set-up for active traders or swing investors.
• Catalyst-Driven Upside: Technical reversal confirmation above $0.611 could see accelerated price action, with targets towards the $0.65–$0.70 range on positive protocol headlines.

Medium-Term

• Accumulate Before Milestones: Building a position ahead of major protocol upgrades (DAL activation, Tezos X) could allow investors to capture repricing events as utility and adoption metrics improve.
• Yield Accrual: Staking Tezos (5–7% APY) during sideways periods adds a compounding layer of return, de-risking relative to pure price speculation.

Long-Term

• ‘Smart Beta’ Layer-1 Position: For those with a multi-year horizon, current valuations—in combination with robust on-chain governance, strong development pace and industry-leading upgradeability—make Tezos a deserving core holding for exposure to programmable blockchain infrastructure.
• Monitor Ecosystem Metrics: Watch for continuous growth in Layer-2 TVL and real-world asset/enterprise partnerships as confirmation of fundamental network value accrual.

Tezos Price Forecast Table

Is Now the Right Time to Buy Tezos?

Tezos stands out in the current crypto landscape as a protocol combining deep technological innovation with a clear record of governance and security. Its unique self-amending framework, robust staking economics and exponential Layer-2 expansion are powerful advantages, particularly at the current discount to historic peers. Market structure analysis indicates that Tezos could soon enter a new bullish phase, catalyzed by upcoming upgrades, real-world asset integrations and growing developer engagement. The fundamentals justify renewed interest, especially for those seeking both growth potential and staking yield in a maturing blockchain ecosystem.

In the context of accelerating sector recovery and with several bullish triggers on the horizon, Tezos appears to represent an excellent opportunity for investors who prioritise both innovation and resilient technical foundations. Its current valuation, combined with visible ecosystem traction and compelling price targets, warrants serious consideration for portfolio inclusion.

Tezos remains a high-volatility digital asset offering dynamic investment prospects, demanding prudent risk management at all times. The recent price stabilization demonstrates its potential for swift, powerful moves—yet careful attention to evolving market conditions and ecosystem milestones is essential for capturing future upside. Key technical levels to monitor are $0.529 as immediate support and $0.611 as the pivot for bullish confirmation. The next major protocol upgrade, scheduled for H2 2025, could prove pivotal in shaping Tezos’s outlook in the years ahead.

How to buy Tezos?

It’s simple and secure to buy Tezos (XTZ) online in South Africa using a regulated platform. For retail investors, there are two main ways to get exposure: the first is spot buying, where you actually own the coins and store them in a wallet; the second is trading Tezos through CFDs (Contracts for Difference), which lets you speculate on the price without ever holding the cryptocurrency. Both methods have their pros and cons, including different fee structures and risks. To find the best solution for your goals, make sure to check out the detailed platform comparison further down the page.

Spot Buy (Direct Purchase)

Spot buying Tezos means you purchase and truly own XTZ tokens, which can be stored in your own secure wallet. This approach is straightforward: you pay the current price, and the coins are yours, allowing participation in staking and governance. Most platforms charge a fixed commission per transaction—usually around 1% or a minimum fee, often deducted in ZAR for South African users.

Example: Spot Buy Calculation

Suppose Tezos trades at $0.57 (approx. R10.50 with R1 = $0.054 at current rates). With a R20 transaction fee, investing R2,000 lets you buy about 188 coins:

• Amount invested: R2,000
• Price per Tezos: R10.50
• Fee: R20
• Coins bought: (R2,000 - R20) / R10.50 ≈ 188 XTZ

✔️ If Tezos rises 10% to R11.55: Your holdings now value R2,079.40.

Result: +R199.40 gross gain, or +10% on your investment.

Trading via CFD

Trading Tezos with CFDs means you don’t own the asset itself; instead, you open a position to profit from the price moving up or down. CFDs typically involve a variable spread (the difference between buy and sell prices) and, if you keep your position open overnight, daily financing costs. Leverage allows you to control a bigger position than your cash outlay.

Example: CFD Calculation

With R2,000 as margin and 5x leverage, you gain R10,000 market exposure.

✔️ If Tezos climbs 8%:

• Change: 8% × 5 = 40%
• Profit: R2,000 × 40% = +R800 (excluding fees)
• Caution: Losses are magnified too, and you do not hold real coins.

Final pointers

Always compare platforms for fees, features, and service quality before investing, as costs and conditions can significantly affect your returns. The best method depends on your investment goals and experience: direct spot buying suits those seeking ownership and potential staking rewards, while CFDs may interest more speculative or active traders. Need help deciding? Refer to the comprehensive platform comparison available below on this page.

Our 7 tips for buying Tezos

The latest news from Tezos

Tezos has exhibited modest price recovery, recording a +0.71% gain over the past week on steady volume. Daily trading reached $14.45 million, a positive sign considering overall market volatility and the sharp 67% six-month decline that has especially made crypto investors cautious in South Africa. Increased trading activity may reflect renewed local and global interest following the rollout of major network upgrades and Layer 2 adoption. South African exchanges such as Luno and VALR continue to support Tezos, giving ZA-based users direct access for investment or staking, and positioning the asset to benefit if positive technical momentum continues.

Etherlink, Tezos’ Layer 2, marked a milestone by generating more transaction fees than the mainnet in Q1 2025. With a 54% quarter-on-quarter surge in Etherlink fees and a 189% increase in monthly transactions, the Layer 2 now overtakes the core chain in activity, reflecting shifting user behavior and the appeal of low-cost, high-throughput solutions. For the South African market, where affordability and accessibility remain key barriers to blockchain adoption, these numbers may encourage local developers and enterprises to experiment with Etherlink, especially given the historical South African focus on building scalable fintech infrastructure.

Recent Tezos protocol advancements, including the Quebec upgrade, have improved speed, staking ratios, and user incentives. Block times are now just 8 seconds, with transaction finality down to 16 seconds, representing a tangible upgrade for both retail and business use cases that demand rapid settlement—an advantage for South African remittances and payments experimentation. Enhanced staking parameters—9:1 capacity ratio and updated reward ratios—provide more flexibility and potentially higher aggregate staking returns, supporting the narrative of Tezos as both a utility-rich and yield-generating platform for local crypto holders.

Ongoing ecosystem growth and innovative partnerships showcase Tezos’ strategic push for real-world asset adoption and NFT expansion. Initiatives like the partnership with Uranium.io for real asset tokenization and Lumia for extended interoperability, as well as the flourishing NFT and generative art community, are signals of a robust and adaptable ecosystem. South African artists and fintech startups are exploring NFT and RWA tokenization for new revenue streams and market access, and Tezos’ focus on formal verification and regulatory-friendly infrastructure aligns with increasing scrutiny from the FSCA and SARB, positioning the network as a partner of choice for compliant innovation.

Staking remains attractive, with 5-7% APY yield, combined with flexible delegation and robust validator participation. South African users benefit from staking via both local and global platforms, with the Liquid Proof-of-Stake mechanism enabling rewards without requiring advanced technical skills or high resource commitment. Tax considerations mirror SARS guidance on crypto assets: reward income is taxable at receipt, and capital gains apply on sale—issues increasingly well understood by local crypto investors seeking compliant yield. This combination of transparent returns, flexibility, and security supports ongoing institutional and retail confidence in incorporating Tezos into larger diversified portfolios.

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.