This guide on the crypto theses 2022 celebrates the most industry-influential milestones, personalities, and trends in the crypto sphere. Let’s dive in and browse through the most interesting segments of Web3 that have notably affected the industry throughout the year.
Cross chain systems
The first part of this year’s multiple crypto theses includes best cross chain crypto networks trends. Cross chain (or, more accurately, cross network) systems are designed to offset the gap between heterogeneous distributed networks. Seamless cross chain systems advance the processes of value transfer and make DeFi protocols way more resource-efficient.
As such, with the maturation of crypto and DeFi, the interest in cross chain systems will accelerate. As the volume of liquidity in DeFi increases, the participants of this segment will need more effective ways to organize its logistics.
Both developers and investors will be interested in cheap and high-performance cross chain network infrastructure: single-blockchain protocols will no longer be enough as a technical basis for DeFi protocols.
Cross chain networks operate independently, therefore they seamlessly interact with each other and reduce the effect that intermediaries could have on the value of digital assets.
Crypto theses recommend these projects and tokens to check out: Polkadot (DOT), Cosmos (ATOM).
Furthermore, 2022 has also seen the rise of cross chain NFT marketplaces, where users are allowed to move their digital non-fungible tokens between blockchains. For instance, users can move NFTs from Ethereum (ETH) to Solana (SOL) via OpenSea, which has proved its readiness to adapt to new changes. Cross chain connectivity can significantly level up an NFT platform, according to what many experts point out.
ZK-powered protocols
Zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-proofs) play an important role in the crypto theses of 2022. represent the most advanced instruments to scale Ethereum (ETH) network without sacrificing its security, anonymity and decentralization. Like first-gen Ethereum L2 scalability solutions, they reduce pressure on Ethereum mainnet.
Ethereum’s founder Vitalik Buterin is a vocal proponent of zk-proofs as the most promising and cost-optimized Ethereum scaling technology. As such, all projects that address zk-proofs and their implementations for DeFi use cases will be in the spotlight.
At the same time, their solutions are still relatively rare. Polygon (MATIC), an EVM-compatible high-performance blockchain, acquired Hermez, a next-gen zk-rollup. Immutable X (IMX), a project that supercharges marketplaces for non-fungible tokens with zk-proofs, made headlines by a record-breaking IDO.
Last but not least, ZKSwap (ZKS), a China-based all-in-one product with DEX, NFT marketplace and payment protocol, attempts to build a 360° ecosystem on zk-proofs.
Crypto theses spotlight: Polygon (MATIC), Immutable X (IMX), ZKSwap (ZKS).
‘Serious’ non-fungible tokens
While non-fungible tokens or NFTs took the crypto segment by storm, most of their use-cases still remain in the sphere of gaming and digital art, which had a significant influence on the crypto theses of this year. Despite being profitable and captivating for enthusiasts, both segments fail to unleash the full potential of non-fungible tokens as authorization and verification tools.
NFTs can serve as digital certificates of authenticity. NFTs can cryptographically secure property rights for real estate, IP, luxurious cars, and so on. The tokens can be widely integrated in insurance, due diligence, supply chain and other ‘real world’ sectors.
In the public sector, NFTs can be used as digital passports, certificates of graduation, vouchers for public services, and so on. Sooner or later, Ethereum (ETH) addresses have all chances to replace IDs and passports as identity verification instruments; the mainstream adoption of NFTs will accelerate hand in hand with their process.
N.B. Here’s how users can create an NFT collection in 5 easy steps
Layer-1 protocols outside Ethereum (ETH)
Despite the euphoria around Ethereum (ETH) scalability tools, some bottlenecks of the pioneering smart contracts platform can’t be addressed by L2 instruments. And here other L1s come into the party.
Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), Terra (LUNA), Fantom (FTM) should be named among the most viable and popular mainstream alternatives to Ethereum (ETH) blockchain. Solana and Terra are the two most red-hot options: their prices and TVL rocketed more than 100x in 2021.
In the last days of 2021, Terra blockchain, its native cryptocurrency LUNA and algorithmically-backed stablecoin UST were in the spotlight for investors and analysts. The total volume of assets locked in protocols on Terra exceeded that of Polygon and Tron.
Projects and tokens in the crypto theses 2022: Solana (SOL), Avalanche (AVAX), Terra (LUNA), Fantom (FTM).
Conclusion
The crypto theses for 2022 are a popular trend among developers and crypto enthusiasts, where users can catch up with the latest developments in the industry.
Cross chain crypto systems have played a huge part among other trends in the crypto theses. Both cross chain networks and cross chain NFTs attract a significant amount of crypto audience.
What’s more, ZK-rollups and non-ETH Layer-1 protocols have evolved into bigger and more client-appealing technologies with great support from investors and experts.
Time will tell what users could expect from crypto theses in the future and whether the current trendsetters are here to stay for a long period of time.
