In 2025, we made a set of bold fintech predictions spanning crypto, social commerce, open banking, and AI. With the year now complete, this review looks at how those calls held up against a fast-changing reality shaped by regulatory shifts, the legitimization of stablecoins, and rapid AI adoption across payments and commerce. Some trends exceeded expectations, others matured more slowly, but together they defined 2025 as a pivotal year that reset priorities and direction acro