November 28, 2023
- picthure source:https://www.finextra.com/the-long-read/99/the-bitcoin-bull-run-is-it-different-this-time
By Anjali Kochhar
The cryptocurrency world is currently witnessing the dominance of two pivotal trends—NFT mania and the bull run effect. These phenomena are not merely influencing but reshaping the entire crypto landscape, ushering in transformative changes and unlocking unprecedented opportunities. With these trends finding their firm roots before the end of 2023, the crypto space will likely experience major shifts and favorable changes in the upcoming year.
NFT Mania: Beyond Digital Art
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have transcended the confines of the crypto community and entered the digital realm embraced by companies worldwide. Stored on a blockchain, NFTs provide an unassailable proof of ownership and authenticity. The art world, in particular, has witnessed a seismic shift, as digital artists, once on the fringes, now find a lucrative platform through NFTs, democratizing art ownership and fostering direct connections between creators and buyers.
According to Mr. Kumar Gaurav, CEO of Cashaa, “NFTs can play a significant role in encouraging and speeding up blockchain interoperability for users making it easier for users to transfer their digital assets between blockchains. NFTs are also finding novel and unique use-cases in sectors like real estate, supply chain, logistics, etc. With new and varied use-cases the trading of NFTs in the secondary market also increases making NFTs more liquid and easily sellable for its owners.”
Beyond the art world, NFTs are permeating diverse industries, including music, gaming, and virtual real estate. Musicians are releasing exclusive tracks as NFTs, gamers are trading in-game assets, and virtual real estate transactions are reshaping virtual worlds.
Agreeing with this, Mr. Edul Patel, CEO of Mudrex said, “Beyond their current prominence in art, music, and gaming, NFTs are expected to infiltrate various industries. Real estate, for instance, may witness NFTs revolutionizing property transactions, tokenizing ownership, and simplifying the sale of real estate assets. Moreover, NFTs have potential in education, providing verifiable certificates and diplomas.”
Moreover, the synergy between NFTs and the metaverse is transformative, promising a future that will redefine the digital landscape. Expanding on this, Mr. Gaurav explained, “The metaverse is a virtual shared space where users can interact with each other, work, play, trade, etc. NFTs are the digital assets that represent unique items like virtual real estate, in-game items, and collectibles. So it makes sense that the two technologies will go hand in glove with each other.”
The metaverse and NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) are intertwining forces poised to redefine the crypto space. NFTs serve as the cornerstone for ownership and representation within the metaverse. As virtual worlds expand, NFTs enable users to possess and trade exclusive virtual real estate, avatars, and in-game items seamlessly across platforms. This intersection enhances the digital economy, fostering new ecosystems where users can monetize their virtual creations.
Vikram Subburaj, CEO, Giottus Crypto Platform, adds, “The intersection of NFTs and the metaverse represents an exciting and transformative aspect of the digital landscape. NFTs are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the metaverse of the future in several ways like providing digital ownership and identity, driving the creator economy, and allowing interoperability between various metaverse platforms.”
The metaverse’s reliance on decentralized systems aligns with the core principles of blockchain, paving the way for enhanced security, transparency, and interoperability. Together, they forge a dynamic frontier, reshaping the landscape of digital interaction and commerce.
Mr Subburaj added, “The advent of various art/entertainment/gaming companies that are building services using NFT as their base is also creating an ecosystem with teens and young adults as their primary segment. The long-term sustainability of NFTs hinges on their deep integration into various industries and their ability to provide real value beyond speculative trading.”
The Bull Run Effect: The innovation of crypto space
Simultaneously, the cryptocurrency market is experiencing a bull run, attracting a surge of interest from institutional and retail investors alike. Mr Subburaj noted that the trade volume of NFTs on exchanges has hit a 3-month high this past week, suggesting that the NFT market is beginning to attract investors, yet again. Simultaneously, Bitcoin, the pioneer cryptocurrency, reached new all-time highs, and other altcoins followed suit. The bull run has propelled the total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies to unprecedented levels, garnering attention from mainstream media and traditional financial institutions.
One of the driving factors behind the bull run is the growing acceptance of cryptocurrencies as a legitimate asset class. Institutional investors, including hedge funds and publicly traded companies, are allocating a portion of their portfolios to cryptocurrencies as a hedge against inflation and a store of value. This influx of institutional capital has provided a level of legitimacy to the crypto market that was previously lacking.
Another one of the most important factors propelling the growth of the crypto space is the introduction of regulatory norms. Mr Patel explains how the increasing regulatory clarity surrounding cryptocurrencies is helping establish clearer guidelines. Mr Subburaj said that regulatory clarity and technological innovation will drive adoption and build more trust among users in the long term.
Further explaining this, Mr Gaurav said, “After the collapses of Terra and FTX, etc., the emphasis on regulating the crypto market in order to make it safer for everyday users and investors is the biggest trend with all of the major governments and central banks around the world making significant steps in this direction. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are also being developed and tested by central banks as we speak.”
The regulations being imposed within the crypto space has helped the narrative surrounding cryptocurrencies, with a shift from skepticism to acceptance. Governments and regulatory bodies in various countries are exploring frameworks to regulate and integrate digital currencies into their financial ecosystems and this will be one of the upcoming trends within this domain that will be the tailwinds to its growth. This increased regulatory clarity has instilled confidence among investors, diminishing concerns about the legal and operational aspects of cryptocurrency transactions.
Mr Subburaj stated, “Regulatory clarity is coming about as more countries move towards adopting unified codes, driven in part by the recent IMF-FSB Synthesis Paper. This ‘harmonization’ of regulations will drive more innovation on the technology front as more companies will build products that will help in mass-basing crypto.”
The ongoing transformations in regulation, technology, and adoption are paving the way for a new era in cryptocurrency, where the market is not only reshaped but also integrated into mainstream finance in ways previously unimaginable. As NFT mania and the bull run effect continue to redefine the crypto space, the convergence of these two transformative trends is creating a perfect storm poised to reshape the cryptocurrency market in 2024.
About the author
Anjali Kochhar covers cryptocurrency stories in India as well as globally. Having been in the field of media and journalism for over three years now, she has developed a sharp news sense and works hard to present information that goes beyond the obvious. She is an avid reader and loves writing on a wide range of subjects.
