In 2017, cryptocurrencies joined the global financial system, while almost all crypto prices were soaring and there were countless initial coin offerings . By the analogy with more traditional financial markets, we could say that we have witnessed an exceptional bullish trend in all markets.

I think that in 2018, there will be the biggest explosion of investing in the cryptocurrencies. Most exchange offices already stopped to allow signing up new users, because they simply can not handle hundreds of thousands of new users per day.

source: link

At the moment, you have to wait around 3-5 weeks for an authorized account invoice, in case a complete application for verification is submitted.

According to analysts, currently cryptocurrencies are traded at approx. 0.25% of the world's population, which means that we are still very far from the financial meltdown. Crypto-based positions in the software industry are continuing to proliferate, with the number of such listings in the software industry comprising a 460% larger share of total listings in the sector than three years ago.
The industry with the largest growth in crypto-related job listings in the financial services industry – with the share of total listings on LinkedIn pertaining to cryptocurrency in the financial services industry having grown by roughly 900% during the last three years.
source: cryptonewsagency

BTC is slowly losing its primary role in the market, mainly due to the crazy high fees and long-term confirmation of transactions. The problem is likely to be solved by Lightning Network.

link: Lightning Network website

Increased Privacy Through TumbleBit and ZeroLink

While it is sometimes misrepresented as such, Bitcoin is not really private right now. All transactions are included in the public blockchain for anyone to see, and transaction data analysis can reveal a lot about who owns what, who transacts with whom and more. While there are solutions available to increase privacy right now — like straightforward bitcoin mixers — these usually have significant drawbacks: They often require trusted parties or have privacy leaks.

This situation could be improved significantly in 2018. Two of the most promising projects in this domain — TumbleBit and ZeroLink — are both getting close to mainnet deployment. source: Bitcoinmagazine

While the total value of cryptocurrencies and tokens is rising - on Wednesday at 3 pm, it has already exceeded $ 700 billion - the regulators and central bankers have become increasingly worried. And I say, they should be :) In China, the regulators will obviously embark on miners, and in the EU the statements of the Austrian governor are pretty laughable, as he is echoing the need for taxing transactions with bitcoins. I like to see regulators and central bankers to realize, how they are losing this battle.