The year has only just begun, and already the cryptocurrency markets have surged to a new all-time high, going above $800Billion USD, meaning the market has gained over $200billion in just four days. It might come as no surprise that top of that list is Bitcoin, which is trading above $17,300. Bitcoin Cash did well as well, and rose nearly 10% in the last 24 hours, taking it to $2,750. Despite this though, Bitcoin is no longer nearly as dominant as it was once before. In fact it has fallen to just 36% of the entire market. The reason for this fall has been put down to slow transaction times and high network fees.Perhaps the biggest contributor to the huge rise in cryptocurrencies has been Ripple , soaring from $0.22 to over $3 in just one month. There has been some debate as to whether Ripple should be included, and whether it is actually a cryptocurrency, although central bankers and mainstream media have been quick to promote Ripple as the cryptocurrency which is going to supplant Bitcoin. The reason for this debate is partly due to the fact that Ripple has been considerably premined, which is a huge no no in the cryptocurrency world. The coin is not really decentralised, and doesn’t have a blockchain, making it the opposite of what we have come to know and love in the cryptocurrency world. Ripple relies on the banking system as well, which, for those who believe that this entire financial system will disappear and cryptocurrencies will take over, makes it incredibly risky to invest in. These people believe crypto really is the future, but only if they are decentralised blockchains that will engender a revolution in individual freedom and financial sovereignty, which will lead to a restructuring of global economics and power. Something that the world has never imagined.