Introduction
Cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, LiteCoin: all terms that have been swirling around in the media over the past few years. 2017 saw coverage of the cryptocurrency phenomena reach new heights on the back of the combined value of the market capitalisation of digital currencies recording 1600% growth. As of early January 2018, the market capitalisation of cryptocurrencies sat at comfortably above US$300 billion.
How things changed over the course of 2018. The cryptocurrency market is still several times more valuable than the $18 billion it was as 2017 got underway at around $111 billion towards the end of 2018. That’s the good news. But it has dropped back to levels last seen in the summer of 2017, before the cryptocurrency ‘bubble’ started moving into overdrive. Bitcoin started 2017 at $1000 and finished it at $20,000. Almost a year later and the ‘original’ cryptocurrency has dropped back to under $3500.
Will Cryptocurrencies Make a Return in 2019?
There are a handful of key factors that most market observers believe will have to fall into place if cryptocurrencies are to make a serious comeback. It is unrealistic that all of these will suddenly become a reality next year but things moving in the right direction will give cryptocurrency investors reason for optimism.
At the Bloomberg Crypto Summit in London, held in early December 2018, James Bevan, chief investment officer at CCLA Investment Management, delivered the appraisal that he expects cryptos to bounce back:
“I don’t regard this as an existential crisis, I just regard it as a bump in the road and institutional investors have had plenty of bumps in the road in conventional currencies and transaction systems.”
Topics covered in this Guide
- The End of the Road For Cryptocurrencies or A New, Stronger Foundation For Mainstreaming?
- Are The General Public Ready For Cryptocurrencies?
- Investing in cryptocurrencies
- Cryptocurrency Price Drivers
- Cryptocurrency Investment Options