In early November 2025, Bitcoin soared to $104,000, fueled by a resurgence of institutional investment and a widespread market upswing as the U.S. dollar weakened. At the same time, the crypto sector is witnessing significant activity, such as Aave’s optimistic projections for 2025 and Chainlink’s recent move into
TON
, a blockchain associated with Telegram’s vast user base of 900 million. These initiatives underscore the increasing focus on interoperability and regulatory alignment within decentralized finance (DeFi).
AAVE, a top decentralized lending platform, is gaining momentum by adopting Chainlink’s Automated Compliance Engine (ACE) to achieve standards suitable for institutional use. This collaboration enables
Aave
Horizon, its institutional division, to authenticate identity and policy details at the transaction level, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements, as highlighted in a
Coinpedia analysis
. This development positions Aave as a connector between DeFi and traditional finance (TradFi), with a $50 million annual DAO buyback initiative further boosting trust. Experts now anticipate that Aave’s token (AAVE) will likely remain above $150, with its total value locked (TVL) potentially reaching $35 billion, according to Coinpedia.
Chainlink, the decentralized oracle provider, is also drawing attention. Forecasts for its 2025 price are optimistic, with some market watchers predicting it could hit $30 by the end of the year and possibly reach $100 in early 2026, based on
Coinpedia's prediction
. This positive outlook is driven by Chainlink’s growing reserves, protocol revenue, and expanding cross-chain functionality. On October 31, 2025,
Chainlink
revealed the integration of its Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) and Data Streams with TON, a blockchain created by Telegram, as detailed in a
PR Newswire release
. Through this partnership,
Toncoin
(TON) is now recognized as a cross-chain asset under the CCT standard, enabling secure transfers across more than 60 blockchains.
The collaboration with TON represents a significant milestone for DeFi. By linking TON to Chainlink’s infrastructure, Toncoin can now utilize real-time market information via Data Streams, which provide sub-second latency for applications in trading, lending, and derivatives, according to
Blockonomi
. Thodoris Karakostas, Chainlink’s Director of Blockchain Partnerships, noted that this integration establishes a “composable, interoperable, and high-performance DeFi ecosystem,” opening up new liquidity opportunities for TON users. For Telegram’s 900 million users, this translates to quicker access to DeFi services through integrated mini-apps and wallets.
TON’s strategic initiatives are also picking up speed beyond just interoperability. Shortly before the Chainlink partnership was announced, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov introduced Cocoon, a decentralized AI computing network built on TON. This new layer brings GPU rental services to the blockchain, further expanding TON’s range of applications, as reported by a
CryptoTimes report
. Analysts believe the ecosystem is focusing on tangible infrastructure and practical use cases, laying the groundwork for sustained adoption.
With Bitcoin maintaining levels above $100,000, the broader digital asset market is turning its attention to institutional participation and cross-chain advancements. The compliance enhancements by Aave and Chainlink’s partnership with TON reflect this evolution, pointing to a DeFi sector that is increasingly ready to compete with traditional finance.