Core Insights - CoinGecko is considering a sale with a valuation around $500 million and has appointed Moelis as an advisor for the process, which began late last year [1][2] - The crypto sector has seen accelerated dealmaking, with M&A activity reaching approximately $8.6 billion in 2025, surpassing the total of the previous four years [3][4] - CoinGecko's monthly traffic declined to about 18.5 million in December 2025 from 43.5 million in 2024, reflecting a broader trend in the industry due to the rise of AI chatbots [5][6] Industry Trends - The increase in M&A activity indicates a shift towards targeted consolidation and expansion in the crypto market as regulatory clarity improves and institutional participation grows [4] - Major deals in the crypto sector include Coinbase's $2.9 billion acquisition of Deribit and Kraken's $1.5 billion purchase of NinjaTrader, highlighting the trend of companies seeking scale and strategic assets [3] - CoinMarketCap, a peer of CoinGecko, also experienced a decline in traffic, dropping to 64 million in December 2025 from approximately 157 million in 2024, indicating a competitive landscape [6]