Cryptocurrency bonanza in 2021, all thanks to these heavyweight events

These major upgrades show that even the largest cryptocurrencies are working to improve their technology. Predictably, such major upgrades are not over yet. It remains to be seen what long-term impact these upgrades will have, and perhaps help these more established cryptocurrencies hold onto their lead over up-and-coming cryptocurrencies like Solana and Avalanche.

9. First U.S. Bitcoin ETF

On October 19, the first U.S. bitcoin futures ETF (ProShares Bitcoin Strategy, code BITO) was officially listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Following the successful launch of the ETF, investor optimism for mainstream acceptance and recognition of bitcoin was high, driving the price of bitcoin to a record $69,000.

Next year, the investment regime for digital assets is likely to continue to mature, with futures products like those on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) likely to attract many investors. However, while some investors are hoping that a spot bitcoin ETF will be approved in the U.S. soon, comments from regulators suggest this seems unlikely.

10. DeFi, Web3 and the Meta-Universe

Many of the concepts circulating in cryptocurrency circles are becoming better known. facebook announced its name change to Meta (FB.US) in late October, showing that the concept of a metaverse has largely permeated corporate and consumer thinking. the total lockup of the DeFi protocol reached over $100 billion in October. web3, while still a vague concept , but in the vision of its advocates, it is a utopia of Internet idealism, a decentralized Internet based on blockchain technology that will disrupt the monopoly of tech giants over the Internet.