The Dark Horses of Crypto: Undervalued Projects with Big Upside in 2025

Even though horse racing might be one of the oldest sports in the world that is usually tied to tradition and heritage, somehow, the fusion with the latest technological advancements like blockchain technology seems to work quite well.

Over the last couple of years, the crypt-horse industry has been booming. We’ve seen many new projects that revolutionized the industry in many different ways. One of the biggest changes that was introduced was racehorse ownership.

Up until now, owning racehorses seemed out of reach for many fans since horses cost a lot of money, but with blockchain technology, that is possible for a fraction of the price. People can buy NFT horses or real-world horse shares for as low as $50 and become racehorse owners.

That’s just the tip of the iceberg. This technology can offer much more than just racehorse ownership, and some of the top undervalued crypto projects prove that.

So, what are the hottest crypto-horse projects lined up for this year?

ZED RUN

Okay, ZED RUN might not be something new, in fact, this is one of the pioneers in the horse simulation games. This is a lovechild of gaming and crypto, where players can buy, breed and race virtual horses which come out as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) on the Ethereum blockchain.

The best thing is that each horse comes with its unique traits, speed, stamina, and even pedigree, which obviously affect its performance.

The crazy part is that this is a project where real money is involved. Some of these digital horses have sold for tens of thousands of dollars, and race winnings can stack up fast, allowing you to earn money with your digital horse just like in the real world.

Despite being around for a couple of years, we still think that this project is undervalued compared to its potential. But with the metaverse talks heating up and the NFT gaming industry growing, we can see ZED RUN turn into a mainstream platform for horse racing enthusiasts.

Race Kingdom

Then there’s Race Kingdom, another project galloping into the horse racing niche. This one’s a play-to-earn game where you own, train, and race virtual horses, powered by its native $ATOZ token. 

It’s got a broader scope than ZED RUN, blending RPG elements with a marketplace for horse NFTs and gear. The tie to horse racing is obvious—it’s all about simulating the sport, from breeding champs to betting on races. 

Race Kingdom’s still flying under the radar, with a modest market cap, but its community is growing. If it nails its roadmap (think mobile apps and bigger tournaments) by 2025, it could tap into both crypto gamers and racing enthusiasts, sending its value soaring.

EquineChain

Rounding out the pack is EquineChain, a lesser-known project with a more practical spin. This one’s about bringing the real-world horse racing industry onto the blockchain. 

The idea? Tokenize ownership stakes in actual racehorses, letting everyday folks invest in a colt or filly without needing a millionaire’s bankroll. 

This is a revolutionary project that might change the horse racing industry forever. It is still in an early stage, but if all things go well, it will become a huge project. Think about it, you’ll be able to own (a percentage) of real-world thoroughbreds and get all the benefits that owners get, even earn a percentage of the prize winnings.

This means that you can own a horse running in the Kentucky Derby qualifying races, hoping that it will reach the big league. And if this doesn’t elevate your experience, I don’t know what will.

If EquineChain launches successfully in 2025—and the racing world buys in—it could disrupt how ownership works in the sport, making it a sleeper hit in the crypto stables.

Silks

One standout is Silks, a project that’s all about linking virtual horse ownership to real-world thoroughbreds. 

Here’s how it works: each year, Silks mints NFTs tied to actual one-year-old racehorses registered in the U.S. These digital horses mirror their real counterparts, tracking bloodlines, training progress, and race results via blockchain data. 

If your horse wins in real life, you earn rewards in the game, paid out in their $SLK token. It’s a play-to-earn setup with a twist, blending the physical sport with a metaverse vibe where you can also buy virtual land and stables. 

Silks is still undervalued compared to its ambition, and with plans to expand its ecosystem in 2025, it could pick up steam among racing fans and crypto speculators alike.

DeRace

Another contender is DeRace, a play-to-earn horse racing metaverse built on the Polygon blockchain. You buy NFT horses with unique traits—some visible like breed and color, others hidden like speed and stamina—and race them in virtual hippodromes. 

The $DERC token powers everything: staking, betting, even breeding new horses via smart contracts. 

What sets DeRace apart is its focus on community-driven racing events and a marketplace where rare horses can fetch a pretty penny. It’s got a solid following, but its market cap suggests it’s still got room to run.

These are some of the hottest horse-crypto projects lined up for this year. Bear in mind that we are still talking about unexplored territories, and many such projects might fail, but those that do succeed can have huge implications on the real-world equine industry.