In 2021, The Block Research produced more than 300 unique pieces of research for our research members. The 2022 Digital Asset Outlook Report, commissioned by GSR, looks at the most important cryptocurrency developments in 2021 and looks ahead to the future of the space in the coming years.

The 160-page report covers 8 different sectors within the cryptocurrency industry to watch for in 2022:

The state of the market
Investment trends
Institutional custody
Layer-1 and Layer-2 platforms
Decentralized finance (DeFi)
Web3
NFT/Blockchain gaming
Macroeconomics

You can download the full report by completing the form below:

Summary

Market performance: Layer-1 platforms and doge-themed “memecoins” were the breakout winners in 2021.
State of mining: China’s crackdown has created an opportunity for overseas bitcoin mining operations and has already led to an infrastructure boom in North America, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
Investment trends: 2021 saw an uptick in unicorn status crypto companies. DeFi verticals and NFT/Gaming verticals received the most funding this year.
NFT/Gaming funding: Digital card collectible games will be worth following into 2022, as if any of these projects gain a little traction.
Decentralized finance (DeFi): Decentralized Finance (DeFi) has soared above $100 billion this year as the ecosystem continues to mature.
Layer-1: Major developments for cross-chain bridges have become important gateways for enabling the seamless flow of capital throughout the crypto ecosystem.
Layer-2: With Ethereum 2.0 shard chains scheduled for 2022, coupled with the possibility of token distribution to decentralize L2 sequencer nodes, rollups are poised for even greater adoption in 2022.
NFT/Gaming: The gaming business model saw a major shift in 2021
NFT/Web3: All the developments related to scaling solutions mean that Ethereum is likely to remain the first step in onboarding users to NFTs and web 3.0.
Non-dollar stablecoins: Euro stablecoins will likely gain adoption in the coming years. First, Euro is the second-largest group of stablecoins. There already exist two liquid Euro-pegged stablecoins in the DeFi space.

About GSR

GSR is a crypto market maker and ecosystem partner.

Founded in 2013, we specialize in providing liquidity, risk management strategies and structured products to sophisticated global investors in the digital assets industry.

We have a culture of approaching complex problems with tenacity and imagination. We build long-term relationships by offering exceptional service, expertise and trading capabilities tailored to the specific needs of our clients.

GSR works with token issuers, traders, investors, funds, miners, and cryptocurrency exchanges around the world. GSR is an investor in more than 100 projects building the future of finance and technology. We form lasting partnerships with our portfolio companies through our suite of services and global team of over 190 cryptofinance professionals. Find out more about GSR here.

© 2021 The Block Crypto, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.