Will Evans is Managing Director, U.S. of CEX.IO, a bitcoin and crypto exchange.
What were the key theme(s) for your business in 2021?
CEX.IO has positioned itself for growth in the U.S. market. This has been achieved by taking a measured and strategic approach to scaling up the business on three fronts: partnerships, personnel, and products.
What are your expectations for 2022?
Interoperability will be a key driver in 2022. This year saw the beginning stages of separate networks within the blockchain ecosystem coming together. 2022 will bring a deepening of their connectivity, which will come in the form of more expansive platforms (bridges), products (i.e. wallets with built-in IBC), and the presence of traditional crypto companies in DeFi/metaverse.
What trends are getting underway that people may not know about but will be important?
A shift from big tech to crypto: Brian Roberts, the former CFO of Lyft, is joining OpenSea, the world’s largest NFT marketplace. OpenSea has generated $10bn in lifetime sales and has nearly 1 million users as of December 2021.
Smaller countries adopting crypto: El Salvador BTC bonds is a precedent that flew under the radar in 2021, but this could be a trend moving forward.
Merging DeFi and CeFi: Combining the ideals of DeFi (a democratized system without vertical authority) and the security measures/audits and accessibility enabled by CeFi will bring cryptocurrencies and blockchain tech closer to the mainstream.
