infrastructure that will assist both existing and potential businesses to incorporate blockchain technology with ease. The markets best suited for blockchain implementation in my opinion will be retail, travel, telecoms, and insurance. Third, we will see the further creation of decentralized applications resulting in mainstream usage by established tech startups as well as major corporates looking to adopt different use cases such as loyalty programs within the tech industry. In addition to retail, travel, telecoms and insurance, 2018 will see the integration of blockchain technology in industries connected to supply-chain issues, tracking of commodities or payment solutions. Speculation will also continue to rise as more and more retail investors enter the market and push prices up.

Francesco Nazari Fusetti, CEO and Co-Founder, CharityStars:

With the new year fast approaching, there is no better time to be involved in blockchain. 2018 is going to be the year of further legitimization for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies as a whole. From a valuation perspective, it’s difficult to find any arguments against the 1 trillion USD mark being reached within the next few months. Corrections are only natural and will occur in 2018 just as they have occurred in 2017. Psychologically, they will be more difficult to deal with considering the capital invested in this space has increased dramatically. The technology itself is going to be more widely used within both the private and public sector because of its undeniable benefits and new use cases will come to life as the year progresses. For example, non-fungible ERC-721 tokens will find their way into more serious uses other than just ‘cryptokitties,’ such as tracking charitable donations. More and more projects will deliver on their promise while an equal, if not greater number of them will do exactly the opposite. While the ecosystem of services surrounding cryptocurrencies has been growing, 2018 will see the strengthening and expansion of such an ecosystem similarly to the evolution humanity witnessed when switching from bartering to the use of currencies.

Dmitry Zhulin, Co-founder of INS Ecosystem:

“Thanks to the launch of BTC derivatives on traditional stock exchanges, the opening of more than 100 cryptocurrency hedge funds, and the market capitalization of cryptocurrencies exceeding $600 billion in 2017, the crypto market has become the fastest growing and most promising sector of our generation. In my opinion, it is likely that by the end of next year, more than 100 million people will hold at least one cryptocurrency. At the same time, decisions by CBOE and CME to add the listing of BTC futures and options has made the world’s first cryptocurrency, and probably soon other cryptocurrencies, the same class of assets as precious metals, energy, government bonds, and many other goods and securities. As a result of this next year will likely become even more favorable for crypto and blockchain.”

David Moskowitz, CEO and Co-Founder of Indorse:

While its competitors, Bitcoin Cash, ethereum and other cryptocurrencies take market share as means of exchange and payments, 2018 will be the year that bitcoin is solidified as a purely speculative instrument and commodity. On average, we will continue to see lower amounts raised in the ICO market, with relatively few large outliers. The market itself will start to look more traditional with token buyers looking for projects with already working products and traction, rather than just an idea. There will also be a growth in funds specializing in niche areas of the industry, ranging from small, to mid, to large caps. There may also be consolidation in the industry with some of the better funded ICOs acquiring the teams and technologies of the lesser funded projects. With the very broad interpretation allowed by the Howey Test, the US will throw almost all ICOs into a security classification, we will see increased regulatory scrutiny. Unless of course, there is a major legal challenge presented to the Howey test and a new precedent must be set. Most jurisdictions will finally enact rules which will regulate cryptocurrency exchanges, allowing a major expansion of trading among retail investors. The market value of all cryptoassets will most definitely surge beyond the $1 trillion mark.