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2018 was a year to forget for investors in the virtual currency market. Bitcoin (BTC) and other virtual currencies have lost more than 80% of their price, while others have completely disappeared. However, there are some things to note. Regulatory agencies are trying to regulate space and infrastructure continues to expand in this bear market.
One of the most important things to consider 2019 is connected to a better regulatory environment. Initial coin offerings (ICOs) were extended in 2018, most of them during the first part of the year. At the same time, regulatory agencies are trying to create a clear regulatory framework for companies and individuals investing in space.
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will play an important role in the market. The United States Regulatory Watchdog is investigating the illegal offerings of securities and scammers in the ICO market. Some experts suggest that most ICOs can be considered stock offers. To avoid this calcification, some ICOs have adopted the term "security token".
2019 it will present itself as a year of improving regulatory clarity on these topics. The SEC could also clarify some other issues related to how to raise funds and how to operate in the virtual currency space.
Another important trend that could affect the market during 2019 it is connected to financial institutions entering the market. The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) decided to launch the Bakkt platform. This would allow new traditional investors to place their funds in the cryptocurrency market without having to manage their funds on their own.
Bakkt will launch future Bitcoin contracts in the coming months. It was scheduled for January 24 but could be launched in February. Bitcoin futures contracts offered by Bakkt will be regulated by Bitcoin rather than cash-settled, as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) currently offer.
At the same time, NASDAQ is also planning to offer Bitcoin futures trading to investors in the market. Fidelity Investments is also working on a new cryptocurrency platform that allows companies to enter cryptographic space.
Other crypto-exchanges and companies are also investing in creating platforms for institutions. Some of these companies are Coinbase or eToro.
Blockchain technology will also have a year with new developments and improvements. Many companies will start working with this technology and companies will offer blockchain solutions for businesses. There are some banks like ING or Commerzbank that worked with the Corda blockchain platform, launched by the R3 consortium. R3 also launched the Corda Settler platform, which was specifically designed for corporate customers.
IBM continues to work with its World Wire network based on stellar blockchain. The intention is to offer a new service similar to SWIFT but faster and cheaper for customers. Ripple is also another company that is expanding among banking and financial institutions that want to process cross-border payments.
There are some exchanges that could be seriously compromised if the SEC believes that tokens are titles. There are exchanges like Binance that have hundreds of tokens listed and many are born by ICO. Some exchanges should comply with the new regulations and remove some currencies if they are considered securities or simply avoid the US market.
It may be possible to see a new group of exchanges growing if this happens. For example, eToro, a platform that is already working with regulators in the US and other countries, could list ICO tokens. Coinbase also tried to comply with all the regulations imposed by the United States.
There are several companies around the world that are also starting to invest in blockchain technology. Facebook has established a group to investigate the potential blockchain for the future. There are some rumors that the company may soon launch a stablecoin for WhatsApp users in India.
Amazon is already working with blockchain products and offers related services. Apple has also filed a patent related to the blockchain technology.
This shows that 2019 is a year in which virtual currencies will continue to expand. Blockchain technology will also play an important role worldwide. As all these things will influence the price of the most popular virtual currencies is still unknown.
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