The image is AI generated
I can remember when I first heard about crypto. That was back in 2012. A friend of mine told me about something called Bitcoin and how I’d be rich in the future for getting in on it.
I just shook my head. Because it sounded exactly like another MMM ( Remember that Ponzi scheme that went viral back then?). Internet money with no backing, no office. No CEO to arrest when the bubble burst.
But I was wrong. Not in the way I thought I’d be, though. I’d heard of a few guys who had thrown money at some random “coins” and lost it all, but my friend made a fortune off of his Bitcoin, paid for his university education with it, and is still living off the profits today, years later.
Fast forward 14 years later; crypto is no longer about speculation alone, it’s innovating. Tokenization is underway, major banks offer Bitcoin custody services, and sending crypto across the globe takes seconds. We’re in the era of blockchain tech innovation and building.
So when I picture the next 5-10 years, I don’t see a radically new world. I see the one we are currently building completed.
Perhaps the biggest change will be that crypto stops announcing itself. Right now, when you use crypto, you know you are using crypto. You have a digital wallet. You’re praying you didn’t copy the wrong address. You are checking gas prices like they’re your mortgage payment. I don’t think any of that will exist in 2034.
I think about my sister, who lives in another country. If I want to send her money today, it either takes days via bank transfer, or it requires one of those exorbitant third-party money transfer apps. In a few years, I will be able to pull up her contacts, click on her name, and send funds. It’ll transmit as a digital dollar or a digital version of my home currency in the background.
It will reach her in seconds. She will ask me no questions about the chain or the type of network it was transmitted over, nor will i know. It’ll be like sending a WhatsApp message. The technological infrastructure disappears and only the outcome remains.
And we’re already beginning to see that. Already, stablecoins are used for daily transactions, but it’s still limited to crypto people. 10 years from now, everyone will be involved. Your local bank will provide it, your wages will arrive directly into a digital wallet, and since government regulations will be in place, you can rest assured that what you own won’t be considered illegal tomorrow.
Once the rules are established, huge capital will flow in. We already witnessed the initial wave with Bitcoin ETFs. By 2034, having digital assets in your retirement plan will be unremarkable.
Currently, many people dismiss tokenization as a fanciful notion. But the reality is that we are already bringing real estate, treasury notes, and even song royalties online. However, the process is not still too straight forward.
I predict in a decade, purchasing $20 worth of real estate in new york will be as effortless as purchasing a phone credit.
You’ll be able to own stakes in companies, music, or agricultural land without the need for excessive legal Fees or capital. The dichotomy between ‘rich person investments ‘ and ‘ everyday man investments’ will be completely dissolved.
Bitcoin will take its place in the future as a store of value rather than for transactional use, for both governments, businesses and long-term investors. Ethereum and several other cryptos will act as transit corridors, and other assets will follow their infrastructure. You won’t be concerned with the transit method, only with its speed and efficiency.
Not all crypto will make it to that distant future. The purely hype-driven projects, the copycat coins, the ones claiming Ethereum killers won't make it, and that's good. What’s left standing will be the ones that just work.
I am aware that some people fears this future. They worry about the impact of regulations or banks undermining crypto. But i’ve also witnessed the consequences of operating without rules. People get hurt. My friend who lost his money needed protection, and my cousin who sends remittances home requires a fast, economical service.
I believe the next decade will focus on achieving a balance between speculation and sustainable development, less noise and more of what actually works.
This is my submission for the IndiaUnited community weekly writing contest. You can check it out from here to participate
