2014 contained plenty of ups and downs for Bitcoin. Unfortunately, the price followed the latter direction. However, transaction volume, merchant adoption and venture capital funding followed an upward trajectory.
Attention has now turned to 2015. At
BTC.sx we have compiled fifteen Bitcoin predictions for 2015 by researching and interviewing industry experts. As the price has proven simply too hard to predict, which
past surveys show, this study also includes industry trends.
After putting our results in the below infographic, several common predictions emerged.
Use-CasesThe most frequently mentioned prediction is that in 2015 real use-cases will be found for Bitcoin. Marc Andreessen, Jon Matonis and Joseph Lee predict that Bitcoin will start being used in mainstream applications. In particular, Bitcoin may gain traction in remittances and serving the
2.2 billion under-banked people in emerging economies.
StabilityBitcoin has been (in)famous for its volatility. However. in the latter half of 2014 the price and adoption rates became more stable. Industry leaders Nicolas Cary and Gavin Andresen expect to see the ecosystem grow steadily with improved infrastructure and security. This is likely to be welcomed as sustainable growth and help Bitcoin shake-off critics’
bubble accusations.
Change
Despite more stability, the only constant in disruptive technology is change. As such,
Gavin Andresen conceds that there will be “chaos and drama”. The theme of change is echoed by Marc Andreessen, who expects to see new apps, innovations and ideas — a plethora of possibilities exist in 2015. The participation of ‘old money’ institutions, predicted by Adam Draper and Roger Ver, also has potential to dramatically alter the Bitcoin landscape.
Merchant AdoptionThe key trend of 2014, merchant adoption, is likely to continue in 2015 according to Roger Ver. Paul Puey offers an interesting insight: he claims that the next phase of merchant adoption will be fueled by closer integration with traditional point-of-sale systems. This will
eliminate the need for merchants to use cumbersome tablets to accept bitcoin.
Make or BreakAlthough most of the predictions have been favorable, there remains a possibility that Bitcoin may not succeed as a technology. The Washington Post believes that US regulation will be the end of Bitcoin. However,
the proposed Bitlicense has recently been revised favorably. Juan Llanos and Vox offer a more balanced opinion, believing that Bitcoin must grow and mature faster if the digital currency is to flourish.
