Cryptocurrency is an ever-evolving space, with major trends shaping the industry every year. While many try to predict where Bitcoin adoption, NFTs, and blockchain technology will go, only time reveals which insights hold up. In an interview conducted at the end of 2021 and later published in April 2022, I shared key predictions about Bitcoin’s price, NFT adoption, institutional investment, and more—many of which have now played out. Here’s a breakdown of my insights and how they unfolded.

1. Bitcoin’s Long-Term Growth and Adoption

“Bitcoin has fallen a few times, but the overall trend is upward. I don’t see this changing for a while as adoption increases and it becomes more mainstream.”

What Happened:

Despite multiple crashes, Bitcoin has continued to follow an overall bullish trend. With ETFs, institutional interest, and increasing global adoption, BTC remains a dominant financial asset and Bitcoin adoption continues.

2. NFTs Exploding in Gaming, Collectibles, and Art

“NFTs… will take off significantly in gaming, collectibles, and the art world.”

What Happened:

NFTs went mainstream, fueling billion-dollar industries in gaming (Axie Infinity, Otherside), digital art (Beeple, Sotheby’s NFT auctions), and collectibles (Bored Apes, CryptoPunks).

3. Institutional and Governmental Crypto Adoption

“More and more banks are following the trend. Some use cryptocurrencies for transactions, while some countries are using them as legal tender, like El Salvador.”

What Happened:

El Salvador made Bitcoin legal tender in 2021. BlackRock, JPMorgan, and other institutions now offer Bitcoin ETFs and custody solutions, proving crypto’s mainstream financial adoption.

4. The Rise of CBDCs and Their Risks

“China issued its own digital currency, and other countries are working on it. However, these are not decentralized. Governments will have full control and can cut people off from money at the press of a button.”

What Happened:

China launched the digital yuan (e-CNY), and countries worldwide (US, EU, UK) are actively developing Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). Concerns over government surveillance and financial control have become a major topic.

5. Bitcoin as ‘Digital Gold’ and an Inflation Hedge

“While traditional currency is subject to inflation and loses value, Bitcoin is more like digital gold.”

What Happened:

Bitcoin is now widely seen as digital gold, with institutions hedging against inflation. The 2021–2023 inflation crisis further cemented BTC as an alternative to fiat currency.

6. Crypto Market Volatility and Boom/Bust Cycles

“Bitcoin rises a lot but has fallen a few times. However, the overall trend is upward. There will be crashes along the way, but in the long term, the price will increase rapidly.”

What Happened:

The 2021 bull market, 2022 bear market, and 2024 recovery perfectly fit this pattern. Bitcoin has always rebounded after crashes, reinforcing its long-term bullish trajectory. Again bitcoin adoption continues

7. The ‘Crypto Wild West’ and Market Consolidation

“We are still in the early days, and there is a ‘Wild West’ element with many opportunistic projects. Over time, the number of cryptocurrencies will decrease.”

What Happened:

Thousands of crypto projects have failed (Luna, FTX, scam tokens), while Bitcoin and Ethereum continue to dominate. The industry is consolidating around stronger projects and regulations.

8. Security Risks and the Reality of Hacks

“People get hacked all the time, and because of blockchain’s irreversible nature, there is no way to recover lost crypto.”

What Happened:

From FTX and Celsius collapses to phishing scams and exchange hacks, billions in crypto have been lost. Security awareness and self-custody (hardware wallets) have become essential.

9. Crypto Market Manipulation and Media Influence

“Prices fluctuate based on supply and demand but also on news and developments in the sector.”

What Happened:

Crypto prices have soared and crashed due to Elon Musk’s tweets, ETF approvals, and regulatory news—showing how sentiment drives the market.

10. The Role of DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations)

“Some crypto projects aim to have decentralized ownership through DAOs, but they still require governance.”

What Happened:

DAOs gained traction but have struggled with governance issues and voting manipulation. Projects like MakerDAO and Uniswap DAO show both the potential and challenges of decentralized governance.

11. The Decline of Unsustainable Crypto Projects

“Thousands of projects will fail before the market stabilizes.”

What Happened:

The collapse of Luna, FTX, and many meme coins proved that only sustainable projects survive. The market has moved toward quality over hype.

12. The Growth of Crypto Regulation

“Regulations will increase, especially after major market crashes, but they won’t kill crypto.”

What Happened:

After the FTX scandal and 2022 crash, governments introduced stricter crypto regulations in the US, EU, and Asia. However, crypto survived and even thrived in regulated environments.

13. The Rise of Layer 2 Solutions & Blockchain Scaling

“Ethereum and other blockchains will need Layer 2 solutions to scale effectively.”

What Happened:

Ethereum’s Layer 2 solutions (Arbitrum, Optimism, zk-rollups) are now critical for reducing transaction fees and improving scalability.


Final Thoughts: Looking Back on These Insights

🔮 This interview from late 2021, published in April 2022, highlighted some key trends that have since played out in the crypto industry. From Bitcoin’s rise to NFTs going mainstream, from government adoption to crypto security challenges, these insights have proven to be quite relevant.

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