2018 CRYPTO-CURRENCY FORECASTS: 7 PREDICTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL CURRENCIES

While it is, of course, impossible to predict the future, this post seemed to us to be of interest because it gives us an idea of ​​the developments we may be seeing in 2018. It does not necessarily reflect our opinion - and it This is, of course, not an investment recommendation.

Finally, note that no predictions about Bitcoin are presented in this article. Do not hesitate to consult our ticket on this subject.

To say that this year has been exceptional for cryptocurrencies is a euphemism. In 2017, we were able to witness the raising of $ 4 billion through Initial Coin Offerings, an increase in the capitalization of digital currencies from $ 30 to $ 640 billion, and the arrival of futures contracts. on the Bitcoin.

The world is turning to cryptocurrencies, and over the next 12 months we will continue to witness the greatest transfer of wealth in history.

To conclude this year, I wanted to share some predictions about what could happen in the next 12 months - so we can look at them next December, and see if they are right.

This is not a price forecast for Ethereum (in fact, there is one hiding at the end of the article), but some perspectives related to fundamental changes that I think could be produce next year. If these predictions come true, the implications could be immense.

Understand these predictions with some hindsight - even though I have been evolving in these markets for several years now, I have been wrong more times than I can admit. Add to that your own research, and the opinions of others - seek financial advice before investing, and never spend more than you could afford to lose.

1. Coinbase adds five new cryptocurrencies on its platform

For the moment, Coinbase allows to obtain Bitcoins, Ethers and Litecoins. The platform records the arrival of 50,000 new customers each day, and now has millions of users. In November 2017, the service had also made a lot of people by becoming the most downloaded application on the App Store.

Coinbase is a great gateway into the world of cryptocurrencies, while alternative solutions are sometimes complex to handle. The buying process on Coinbase is - for better or for worse - very simple. The currencies that are referenced on the site will arouse a strong interest from the investors, who would also like to be able to buy them before they are available on the platform (since this could cause a strong increase of the demand for these digital assets).

It could therefore become extremely profitable to predict successfully the corner that will appear on the exchange site.

GDAX (the Coinbase trading platform) has released its own "digital asset framework". It details the criteria that are used to judge the quality of a token, and to eventually add the platform. This framework has been mentioned several times by Asif Hirji, the president of Coinbase, and many investors expect the site to add several crypto-currencies in 2018.

"Tokens Blockchain"
Ripple (XRP)
If we rely on this "Ask me Anything" proposed by Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of Ripple, an arrival of XRP on Coinbase is very likely.

Dash (DASH)
Formerly known as Darkcoin, DASH has repositioned itself (thanks in particular to a marketing budget powered by the network) as a universal cryptocurrency to make payments. DASH ticks many boxes among those presented by the digital asset framework of GDAX.

Therefore, I expect the currency to be referenced on Coinbase in 2018.

Ethereum Classic (ETC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
"Coins with confusing names": No, this is not, according to the framework established by GDAX, an eliminatory criterion. These two currencies would have arguments to advance to be listed [note: we know that Coinbase will allow its customers who held Bitcoins at the time of the fork to receive BCH in January, but it is still unclear if the platform will buy and sell sell these].

We heard rumors that Coinbase added ETC and BCH wallets to certain accounts, but the evidence was only available through screenshots - and these can be easily falsified.

Look for example what can be done with Dogecoin:

This potential addition could explain the recent "pump" of ETC and BCH. I expect these two corners to be added to Coinbase in the first quarter of 2018.

"Ethereum Tokens"
Augur (REP)
Augur is a platform of "prediction markets", in development for 3 years. As with any other Ethereum application (dApp), its success is closely tied to its activity on the Ethereum blockchain, which is currently far too weak to be considered as having achieved its goals.

Even if Augur needs technologies such as Raiden and Sharding to be able to hope for success, this token could be added to Coinbase because of its innovative technology, governance, economic fundamentals and market demand. .

It seems very likely that the crypto-currencies I quoted can be added in 2018. Here are some more risky predictions, but that tick all the boxes proposed by the digital asset framework of GDAX:

Golem (GNT)
Civic (CVC)
Storj (SJX)
It must be understood that an addition to Coinbase will not change the fundamental value of these tokens. But such a listing would be a real endorsement, and the tokens that will be added will be available for a mass market, and may target a different audience than the one already found on crypto-currency trading platforms. If they were added, the upward pressure on the price of each of these tokens - at least in the short run - would be inevitable.

To read also: "The president of Coinbase evokes the possible arrival of new crypto-currencies on the platform - what could these digital currencies be?"

1. BitConnect collapses
   "Ponzi" is a term that is often found in the world of cryptocurrencies.

Most of the time, these criticisms are unfounded - the term is used to easily reject a new technology, without having to take a closer look at it. However, some crypto-currencies are actually ponzis, and BitConnect, because of its characteristics, could perfectly fit into this category.

The BitConnect token (BCC) has very little - if any - interest. It derives its value from a "staking" device, which offers a daily interest of 0.25% (and up to 40% per month):

Add to this a sponsorship feature that allows recruiters to pocket commissions, and you get the mark of a true Ponzi scheme. From a purely economic point of view, it is impossible for BitConnect to keep such promises, and I would not be surprised to see this pyramid collapse in the next 12 months.

1. A cryptocurrency market valued at $ 5 trillion

At the beginning of 2017, the cryptocurrency market was only worth $ 17 billion. Today, it is worth 640 billion - a value almost multiplied by 40.

There will be a massive and inevitable "crash" in the weeks / months that will come, and the mainstream press will rehearse its classic "Bitcoin is dead". But soaring prices will resume shortly thereafter.

The added value of this technology is now well understood, and each token takes the form of "killer apps" (Bitcoin, as a store of value, is currently at the center of this ecosystem).

The funds managed by institutional investors will flow into this ecosystem, and I predict a capitalization of $ 5 trillion by the end of the year.

In fact, the mere fact of imagining a multiplication by 10 over the next 12 months seems to me largely attainable, but the current bubble could lose 50% of its value, and the road will be a little more winding than some predict. As was the case since the arrival of crypto-currencies, investors "strong handed" (who know how to control their emotions) will come out victorious from these tests.

1. A more stable ecosystem
   It is now difficult to exchange cryptocurrencies for more stable assets (fiduciary currencies), and that means paying fees. Admittedly, Tether (USDT) can be converted for dollars, but it lacks transparency. In addition, the risk associated with holding USDT is, without a doubt, greater than the risk associated with holding dollars.

Also read: "Tether Hack: Nearly $ 31 Million Stolen"
Stablecoins (assets that have great price stability, and thus allow to keep value without risk of depreciation) as the DAI token MakerDAO (deployed on the blockchain Ethereum) will retain value in cryptocurrencies , without the volatility traditionally associated with them.

Investors will be able to use the DAI token to easily enter and exit cryptocurrency markets, and users will be able to spend it with the certainty that their price will not go down. Stablecoins will be much talked about in 2018, and will bring growth to other tokens.

1. Monero (XMR) will return to the Top 5
   

Before the arrival of Cardano, Bitcoin Cash and IOTA, Monero was among the top 5 crypto-currencies.

Monero is a totally anonymous corner: unlike Bitcoin, portfolio balances, addresses and the value of transactions are not visible. There is a strong demand for crypto-currencies with such features, and XMR is best positioned (thanks to a network effect) to take the lead.

1. New Bitcoin Forks
   In 2018, we were able to witness the arrival of the Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Gold forks, which were very successful (in terms of capitalization). Bitcoin Gold and Bitcoin Cash are both crypto-currencies worth several billion dollars.

In the case of Bitcoin Gold (BTG), developers had the opportunity to "pre-mine" BTG tokens before they were offered to the public, which made them extremely rich (they were able to form a $ 36 million bonanza).

The attraction of easy money will attract many forks, good or bad. I expect that in 2018 we will see the arrival of the new Bitcoin X, Y and Z. Novice users can expect to swim in total confusion.

1. Price forecast for Ethereum in 2018
   Pricing is the best way to appear stupid, but I can not help it when it comes to Ethereum.

The market will become more mature over the next 12 months, and scaling solutions will arrive - as will futures and ETFs, which should appear on large US stock exchanges.

The CEO of blockchain.info also expects that in 2018, central banks will begin to accumulate cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, Joseph Lubin's optimism about how Ethereum should be regulated (which is the biggest risk facing cryptocurrencies as an asset class) inspires me.

The price of Ethereum at the end of 2018? 5000 dollars.