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Ripple is no longer amazing
People will realize that Ripple is a cool business, but it doesn’t actually require a protocol token to work. There are many other protocols (including some with very high market caps) that don’t require the use of tokens either, and the market will start to exclude them. As a result, Ripple will be a very valuable company if it doesn’t offer its services at a high price.
2
Lightning Network Faces Major Test
The Lightning Network will be in one of two situations; either it will regain its importance as the world’s default password, or it will fail miserably and will fall further. If that happens, Bitcoin Cash will become the “real” Bitcoin as the currency associated with it.
3
The privacy war is about to begin
4
The DAO market will emerge
The DAO market, currently led by companies like Aragon, Colony, Region and DAOStack, will soon There will be a number of proof-of-concept DAOs in operation. It will be interesting to see what they report in terms of build time, user base, type of activity, DAOs in operation, etc., although the outlook for this market may be far more promising than the technology. If there are around 50 pilot projects in 2018, the industry will grow quickly.
5
More AI startups
Last month, blockchain-based “ai -as-a-service” startup SingularityNet’s ICO (Initial Coin Offering) sold out in 60 seconds, attracting $36 million in funding. The company set a cap of $36 million after receiving $360 million in tokens from investors. There will be more ICOs like this. since funding attracts funding, we will see many leaving high priced AI jobs to large tech companies like Google and Facebook to spend billions of dollars on the next generation of crypto protocols. We could see 10 crypto AI ICOs for at least $50 million.
6
Ether will be more standard
By now, we all know that CryptoKitties have crippled the Ethereum network. Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin knows this too and is very aware of the challenges the team faces.
On top of all the problems with Ether, there are other new blockchains like NEM, QTUM, EOS or AION that are starting to close the gap, if not surpass this platform. If we see more than 100 projects built on these platforms, I think we will see the emergence of a competitor to Ether. If not, Ether will continue to lead.
7
Interoperability protocols are still immature
I support interoperability for new entrants like Polkadot, Cosmos, and Lamden and Metronome, which will enable transactions and information exchange between different blockchains. But I think it will take them a while to really get rid of the dependencies. In the long run, they will support a multi-blockchain world. But in the short term, they will increase the load on key blockchains like ethereum and bitcoin, so they won’t get much attention from those communities.
8
morecrypto
We have been approached by governments in places like Oman and Panama who want to build cryptovalleys in their geographic locations and introduce themselves to the world using cryptopaths. They have studied what Zug has done to drive innovation and job creation and want to apply it to themselves.
In second- or third-world countries, governments will see blockchain as a way to go “beyond” first-tier economies, as Estonia did in the 1990s. These new coded valleys will try to be the first real geographic location for the blockchain.
9
“encryption” will become mainstream
The application of various cryptographic means to ensure the security of information for all parties.
10
ICOS will become mainstream
ICOs are established as legalized, which will drive further development of artificial intelligence.
11
ICO function shift
Kik made the first reverse ICO, and the main function of ICOs will focus on reverse operating systems in the future.
12
Regulation will become stricter
(Contributor: Yang Haoyan Editor: Yuan Yuan)
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原地址：
https:// venturebeat.com/2018/01/01/12-changes-that-could-shake-up-the-blockchain-world-in-2018/