You Need to Know the 5 Crypto Trends Defining 2019

What’s in store for cryptocurrency in the coming year?

20:03 22 March 2019

Last year’s trends are the best place to start, and while 2018 was a tough year for Bitcoin prices, there was also plenty of good news from 2018, and trends that are expected to continue and evolve.

1) Stablecoins

Volatility has been a major obstacle to cryptocurrencies becoming an effective exchange of value. It’s difficult to make transactions or complete contracts in a currency that fluctuates so wildly in value. That’s had people talking about Stablecoins – digital currency with a stable value. There are some rumors that Facebook is in the midst of developing a Stablecoin for WhatsApp transfers.

2) Regulations and Securities Laws

Governments that have been progressive about cryptocurrencies want to keep up with the curve and make sure everyone from consumers to large organizations know the rules, taxes, and laws when it comes to dealing with cryptocurrency.

Regulations can help bring cryptocurrency into the mainstream, and government securities regulators can provide guidance to businesses and investors when it comes to the application of securities laws in cryptocurrency.

While many cryptocurrency exchange platforms like Bitbuy already use KYC (Know-Your-Client) verification, increasingly it’s expected to become required by governments that view Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as investment assets. As anti-money laundering legislation comes into effect in Europe, KYC compliance is expected to grow quickly. The next time you buy Bitcoin, be prepared to prove your identity.

3) Growth in Blockchain Jobs

Cryptocurrency is just one of the many applications of blockchain, but at the moment it seems to be the one making the biggest headway into the mainstream and the spearhead of an industry that could change business in a major way.

One of the biggest developments in blockchain technology has been the growth of ICOs as a way to fund other blockchain projects. ICOs have been an effective way for new companies to find funding, though some investors are wary of manipulation and fraud. Always do your research before getting into an ICO. Some of the biggest ICOs in history have netted hundreds of millions (or even billions) in funding for companies like EOS, a smart contract company, and Telegram, an encrypted messaging and blockchain system.

4) Bitcoin Price Predictions Remain Positive

Among all the latest cryptocurrency news, there remains an unflagging optimism about the price of Bitcoin in 2019 or 2020. More cautious observers suspect that Bitcoin investors will have to wait for the second half of 2019 for a positive trend after a long bear market, but digital assets experts are still predicting Bitcoin prices could rise again to $20,000 or even beyond in the next year or two.

5) Institutional Adoption

Not only are more individual investors and consumers adopting Bitcoin and major cryptocurrencies, there are more players than ever invested in the institutional adoption of cryptocurrency. With the launch of Fidelity Digital Assets announced last year and expected to launch in 2019, digitally native assets like Bitcoin are going to become more available to a wider group of investors.

These are exciting times for digital currencies. Even with the large price losses seen throughout 2018, the technology continues to innovate and evolve, while mainstream interest from investors continues to grow.