Cryptocurrency bonanza in 2021, all thanks to these heavyweight events

All of these areas could change significantly in the next year, and the question is: Will they be dominated by giant companies, as the tech and banking sectors currently are? Will decentralization become mainstream?

11. Regulators awaken

As cryptocurrency prices rise and the asset class becomes more important in the financial system, regulatory scrutiny has increased in the U.S. and other countries this year. Regulators are finding it increasingly impossible to ignore digital assets given their explosive growth and the role they play in illegal activities such as money laundering and potential risks to investors.

In 2022, regulation will be a major theme in global cryptocurrencies. Countries such as the United States, India, Thailand, Australia, and Brazil are all thinking about how to implement public policy in such a fast-growing and rapidly changing space. Governments around the world are focusing on elements related to the crypto industry, from stablecoins to decentralized finance, and they are concerned about retail investors suffering significant losses due to volatility, confusion or so-called carpet-smoking scams, and how to tax this asset class.

The increased regulation has also led some investors to believe that investing in cryptocurrencies is safer, which in turn has somewhat boosted the market's investment in cryptocurrencies.