Minsky Moment of DeFi

New Possibilities Brought by Music NFTs

A Look Into Portfolios, Competitive Dynamics, Post-Investment Support, Fundraising Activity, and more.

Mapping the Landscape of Web3 Venture Capital (Part 1/2)

In the past years, investors have been plagued with incredible uncertainty. We take a dive into different investing methods to use in these trying times.

<div class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 clhOqr"><a class="ArticleContent__AuthorLink-sc-18n1x4l-3 gMCoqt" href="https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/author/jelle">By CryptoJelleNL</a></div>
<div class="sc-gsTCUz cYTCNP">&nbsp;</div>
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<div class="sc-bdfBwQ ArticleContent__ArticleSummaryBox-sc-18n1x4l-1 koUmyx dwcfaP">
<p>In the past years, investors have been plagued with incredible uncertainty. We take a dive into different investing methods to use in these trying times.</p>
</div>
<div class="sc-bdfBwQ ArticleCover__CoverBox-sc-9pmloj-0  bVYJZw">
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<div>&nbsp;</div>
<img class="coverImage" src="https://academy-public.coinmarketcap.com/optimized-uploads/0526b4f35cf443849bc83dc9ae4b06fb.jpg" srcset="https://academy-public.coinmarketcap.com/optimized-uploads/0526b4f35cf443849bc83dc9ae4b06fb.jpg 1x, https://academy-public.coinmarketcap.com/optimized-uploads/0526b4f35cf443849bc83dc9ae4b06fb.jpg 2x" alt="How to Invest in Crypto in Uncertain Times" /></div>
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<div class="sc-bdfBwQ ArticleContent__TableOfContents-sc-18n1x4l-2 eOpHrs fiqiCA">
<h4 class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Heading-juwhnu-0 ksiqdi dAnDNe">Table of Contents</h4>
<ul>
<li><a class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 bjGZcz toc-link" href="https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/how-to-invest-in-crypto-in-uncertain-times#header-0">Zoom Out &ndash; Take a Longer Horizon</a></li>
<li><a class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 bjGZcz toc-link" href="https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/how-to-invest-in-crypto-in-uncertain-times#header-1">Zoom in &ndash; Trade Intraday</a></li>
<li><a class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 bjGZcz toc-link" href="https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/how-to-invest-in-crypto-in-uncertain-times#header-2">Safe Haven &amp; Recession-Proof Investments</a></li>
<li><a class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 bjGZcz toc-link" href="https://coinmarketcap.com/alexandria/article/how-to-invest-in-crypto-in-uncertain-times#header-3">Closing Thoughts</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<article class="sc-bdfBwQ Container-sc-4c5vqs-0 ArticleContent__ArticleContainer-sc-18n1x4l-0 QlHlj khdEkh dOATlA">
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW"><strong>In the past years, investors have been plagued with incredible uncertainty. War, plague, and economic meltdown are all topics dominating the headlines. In today&rsquo;s article, CoinMarketCap Alexandria takes a dive into different investing methods to use in these trying times.</strong></p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Uncertainty and market corrections will test the nerves of many investors. After all, watching your portfolio go down a lot can be hard to stomach. The past few months have shown plenty of tests, with Bitcoin correcting as much as 75%. Even stock investors were hit hard, as the S&amp;P 500 took a 25% haircut as well.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">There are a few golden principles to remember during these uncertain times. First, it is okay to feel emotions and anxieties when the market feels unpredictable. However, you must keep your emotions in check when making investment decisions. Don&rsquo;t let fear or stress shake you out of a solid investment.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Another key principle to remember is the benefit of diversification. A diversified portfolio will react less violently to market movements and go up more consistently over the long term; the same long term you should be focussing on in times like these. It is impossible to predict what will happen in the next week, but you can be more confident that prices will be higher five or ten years from now.</p>
<div class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Finally, it is crucial to manage your risks. Whether you use a stop loss, manual invalidation or only invest what you can afford to lose,&nbsp;<strong>you must have a predetermined approach to risk.&nbsp;</strong>There is no set in stone approach here, it depends on your personal preferences. Investing in uncertain times is more about surviving than about quick profits.</div>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Let&rsquo;s dive into a few approaches to make it through the next months in one piece.</p>
<h2 id="header-0" class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Heading-juwhnu-0 iLpgJa ehzvDo">Zoom Out &ndash; Take a Longer Horizon</h2>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Uncertain times never last forever. Even market-wide corrections come to an end. While it may be tempting to sell out of your positions, it is important to look at the future rather than the present. The market corrections may present an opportunity.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Rather than looking to exit your positions, uncertain times may be a great moment to look for investments to add to your portfolio. By staying invested, you are in a great position to make money in the years to come. Generally, a good approach is to get rid of investments that look bad even on the longer run and replace them with investments you expect to bear better fruits. For example, you might sell your LUNA for BNB, or your Snapchat stock for Apple.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">In line with the longer horizon, you might also consider taking a longer time to buy in to the market. Don&rsquo;t worry about buying the exact bottom, just dollar-cost average into the assets you want to buy. This way, you will slowly increase your exposure over time, while decreasing your worries!</p>
<div class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Of course,&nbsp;<strong>you should do your proper research before buying into any market</strong>.</div>
<h2 id="header-1" class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Heading-juwhnu-0 iLpgJa ehzvDo">Zoom in &ndash; Trade Intraday</h2>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">After you have put your money in long-term investments, you will need to minimize the amount of attention you pay to the portfolio. Just leave it be and focus on other things. A great way to do this while also increasing your net worth is by trading the lower timeframes.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">This may sound contradicting with the previous paragraphs, but zooming in is another great way of reducing uncertainty. Inflation-related volatility is mostly concentrated around scheduled news events like the CPI prints, so you can enjoy reasonably clean price action to scalp when the dust settles.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">The return on high-frequency trades compounds quickly and will (if you are successful) give you even more money to put into the markets. There are many different guides to technical analysis available, both on and off CoinMarketCap Alexandria. Use these times to improve your skill set! Build your long-term portfolio and use a small portion of your funds to scalp.</p>
<h2 id="header-2" class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Heading-juwhnu-0 iLpgJa ehzvDo">Safe Haven &amp; Recession-Proof Investments</h2>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">During times of market turmoil, look for investment opportunities that do well in any scenario. Depending on who you ask, this will lead you to different types of investments.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">One investor will tell you to buy gold or silver as the perfect hedges against uncertainty.&nbsp; Other investors will tell you to buy treasury bills, hold cash or buy bonds. These types of investments are all backed by the government, and most people consider them to be risk free. However, with inflation sitting at around 8%, these investments will still cost you in buying power, as they generally yield a lower return than such inflation rates.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Seasoned crypto investors will tell you that this is the time to find under-the-radar gems and buy them at incredible discounts. Crypto winters allow you to buy tokens at &ldquo;discounts&rdquo; of up to 98%. Your job as an investor is to find the tokens that make it through the winter in one piece and join the ride to new all-time highs in the next cycle, and not be caught up in overly optimistic &ldquo;discount&rdquo; talk.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Finally, one might look to buy recession-proof stocks such as Walmart, Costco,or McDonalds. These companies have proven their worth in any environment, decade after decade. Investors look for companies that have demonstrated their ability to weather any economic storm and continue to grow even in the harshest of conditions. Many of these companies also pay a dividend regardless of the market conditions, which can make up for potential downturn across the board.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">Recession-proof stocks may not generate triple-digit annual returns, but investing in uncertain times is more about survival than it is about making money.</p>
<h2 id="header-3" class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Heading-juwhnu-0 iLpgJa ehzvDo">Closing Thoughts</h2>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">All in all, there are numerous ways to weather economic storms. You can choose to hold cash or go all in on household stocks. As usual, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the markets, different investors will take different approaches and be successful. No matter your approach, it is important to do your due diligence, take your time and practice a risk management approach that suits your investment choices.</p>
<p class="sc-bdfBwQ Text-msjfkz-0 Renderer___StyledText-mfgg8t-5 fAerDW">We wish you good luck navigating the months to come and look forward to simpler times once again.</p>
</article>
</div>

How to Invest in Crypto in Uncertain Times

Despite the crypto bear market, Ethereum remains the most vibrant ecosystem in all of crypto, with the majority of developer, user, and application activity.

State of Ethereum Q3 2022

Digital ownership enabled by Web3 tech can challenge the monopolistic dynamics of Web2 and give people real equity, says Animoca Brands chief Yat Siulay

Capital gains: How Web3 property rights can transform the digital economy

The markets are in turmoil. The regulatory noose is tightening. Blockspace demand is the lowest it has been since 2019. Crypto Twitter is a ghost town. And now the biggest event of the year—the merge—is in the rearview mirror.

<p><em>What&rsquo;s next?</em></p>
<p>The markets are in turmoil. The regulatory noose is tightening. Blockspace demand is the lowest it has been since 2019. Crypto Twitter is a ghost town. And now the biggest event of the year&mdash;the merge&mdash;is in the rearview mirror.</p>
<p>Is it just me, or does crypto feel rudderless right now?</p>
<p>We know this feeling won&rsquo;t last forever. Between the ability for anyone to build and innovate on blockchains and the potency of the intellectual capital in this space means it is inevitable that some application or technology will get people excited again, bringing back demand for blockspace and propelling the next wave of user adoption.</p>
<p>The question is&hellip; What will that be? What&rsquo;s next for crypto?</p>
<p>Let&rsquo;s touch on a few exciting areas in both infrastructure and applications to see what that may be?</p>
<h2 class="header-with-anchor-widget"><strong>1. Layer 2s</strong></h2>
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<p>Layer 2s are poised to continue to grow over the coming months.</p>
<p>While at present there is scant demand for blockspace, the increased transaction capacity provided by these networks has already begun to unlock new use cases and will pay long-term dividends during the next bull market by allowing more users to be onboarded into the on-chain economy.</p>
<p>In fact, despite the bear market, value locked on Layer 2s in ETH terms sits at ATHs.</p>
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<div class="image2-inset"><picture><source srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png 1456w" type="image/webp" sizes="100vw" /><img class="sizing-normal" title="" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png" sizes="100vw" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fdd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png 1456w" alt="" width="1456" height="590" loading="lazy" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://bucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/dd21c78f-34d1-42b0-9eaf-9c79343ac8a8_1954x792.png&quot;,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:null,&quot;height&quot;:590,&quot;width&quot;:1456,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:539929,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;image/png&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null}" /></picture>
<div class="image-link-expand">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
<figcaption class="image-caption">Graph via&nbsp;<a href="https://l2beat.com/scaling/tvl/" rel="">L2beat</a></figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<p>Arbiturm and Optimism are far and away the two largest L2s, with the optimistic rollups&nbsp;<a href="https://defillama.com/chains/Rollup" rel="">combining for a 96.6% share over all DeFi TVL on L2s</a>.</p>
<p>Each of these networks have several catalysts on the horizon.&nbsp;</p>
<p>For instance, Arbitrum is poised to grow with the resumption of Arbitrum Odyssey, a program designed to encourage users to try out different protocols by rewarding them with NFTs.</p>
<p>The network is also poised to benefit from the launch of their (<em>still unconfirmed</em>) native token, which is expected to take place after Odyssey is completed. In the meantime, the L2 will continue to benefit from numerous upcoming protocol launches.</p>
<p>Optimism also has several exciting catalysts, including&nbsp;<a href="https://help.optimism.io/hc/en-us/articles/8863837297563-Optimism-quests" rel="">Quests</a>, an active program similar to Odyssey where users can earn NFTs in exchange for interacting with protocols, as well as the Bedrock network upgrade.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Although they are still earlier in their life cycles, zk-rollups are set to make some noise in the near future as well. Several zk-EVMs, such as those being developed by zkSync, Polygon, and Scroll, are set to launch either mainnet or testnets year&rsquo;s end, while StarkWare&rsquo;s governance token, STARK, is scheduled to go live by the end of this month.&nbsp;</p>
<div class="tweet" style="--tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; background: #ffffff; display: block; max-width: 520px; margin: 1em auto; border: 1px solid #e1e8ed; direction: ltr; border-radius: 4px; padding: 20px 20px 11.6px; font: 400 16px / 1.4 Helvetica, Roboto, 'Segoe UI', Calibri, sans-serif; color: #1a1a1a; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" data-attrs="{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https://twitter.com/zksync/status/1574381462308036609?s=20&amp;t=mDJTs7340zTGNCE9WxcqUA&quot;,&quot;full_text&quot;:&quot;32 Days to zkSync 2.0 on mainnet. We&rsquo;re getting closer to the first production zkEVM zkRollup, and every week we&rsquo;re inspired by the exciting projects launching on our platform. Here are another five updates from our growing ecosystem. &lt;span class=\&quot;tweet-fake-link\&quot;&gt;#jointhemission&lt;/span&gt;\n\n🧵(1/7) &quot;,&quot;username&quot;:&quot;zksync&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;zkSync&quot;,&quot;date&quot;:&quot;Mon Sep 26 12:52:45 +0000 2022&quot;,&quot;photos&quot;:[{&quot;img_url&quot;:&quot;https://substackcdn.com/image/upload/w_728,c_limit/l_twitter_play_button_rvaygk,w_120/wy0gvkpksnznyw7tvvgx&quot;,&quot;link_url&quot;:&quot;https://t.co/aJtWxGwovV&quot;,&quot;alt_text&quot;:null}],&quot;quoted_tweet&quot;:{},&quot;retweet_count&quot;:105,&quot;like_count&quot;:402,&quot;expanded_url&quot;:{},&quot;video_url&quot;:&quot;https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1574381361187590144/pu/vid/684x360/iz90ZE7CloWmHY1r.mp4?tag=12&quot;,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true}">
<div class="tweet-header"><span class="tweet-author-name">zkSync </span><span class="tweet-author">@zksync</span></div>
<a href="https://twitter.com/zksync/status/1574381462308036609?s=20&amp;t=mDJTs7340zTGNCE9WxcqUA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">32 Days to zkSync 2.0 on mainnet. We&rsquo;re getting closer to the first production zkEVM zkRollup, and every week we&rsquo;re inspired by the exciting projects launching on our platform. Here are another five updates from our growing ecosystem. <span class="tweet-fake-link">#jointhemission</span> 🧵(1/7) </a>
<div class="tweet-video-wrapper"><video class="tweet-video" src="https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1574381361187590144/pu/vid/684x360/iz90ZE7CloWmHY1r.mp4?tag=12" controls="controls" width="300" height="150" data-mce-fragment="1"></video></div>
<div class="tweet-footer">
<p class="tweet-date">September 26th 2022</p>
<span class="retweets"><span class="rt-count">105</span> Retweets</span><span class="likes"><span class="like-count">402</span> Likes</span></div>
</div>
<h2 class="header-with-anchor-widget"><strong>2. Cosmos&nbsp;</strong></h2>
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<p>L2s are not the only infrastructure game in town. There are numerous exciting developments happening within the Cosmos ecosystem. Cosmos enables developers to create highly customizable, application-specific blockchains that can leverage interoperability via inter-blockchain communication (IBC), and seems set to grow in terms of both user and developer activity due to key network upgrades and chain launches.</p>
<p>One such upgrade is that of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=intercahin+security&amp;oq=intercahin+security&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57.2179j0j1&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" rel="">Interchain Security</a>. Set to launch in January 2023, interchain security will enable Cosmos chains to leverage the Cosmos Hub, the network which has the largest value staked, for their security, meaning that they do not need to bootstrap their own validator set, a process which is difficult, expensive and introduces security risks.</p>
<p>There are also several exciting Cosmos chains that seem set to gain traction over the next several months including Canto, an L1 that provides a native DEX, stablecoin, and lending market as public goods as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/berachain" rel="">Berachain</a>. Berachain is a soon to be launched, DeFi oriented L1, and has a cult following while utilizing a unique, Proof-Of-Liquidity consensus mechanism.&nbsp;</p>
<h3 class="header-with-anchor-widget"><strong>3. DeFi Resurgence</strong></h3>
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<p>Powered by the aforementioned L2s and app-chains, DeFi is poised to experience a resurgence as we head into Q4 &rsquo;22 and Q1 &rsquo;23.&nbsp;</p>
<p>One sector that seems to be gaining considerable momentum are options protocols. Benefiting from the increased capacity provided by L2s, protocols like&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/dopex_io" rel="">Dopex</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/lyrafinance" rel="">Lyra</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/PremiaFinance" rel="">Premia</a>&nbsp;seem set to grow in the near future, as options become a more significant part of crypto market structure and as sophisticated DeFi users seem to manage their risk on-chain.</p>
<p>Another sub-sector that looks poised to explode in growth is NFT-Fi, or DeFi for NFTs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Like it or not, NFTs are not going anywhere, with the JPEG markets set to become more liquid and mature as trading, lending, and derivatives primitives continue to get built out.</p>
<p>There are numerous exciting NFT-Fi projects that are live and set to launch in the coming months. This includes AMMs like&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/sudoswap" rel="">SudoSwap</a>, lenders like NFT-Fi,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/JPEGd_69" rel="">JPEG&rsquo;d</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/metastreetxyz" rel="">MetaStreet</a>, appraisal protocols like&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/abacus_wtf" rel="">Abacus</a>&nbsp;and perps DEXs like&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/nftperp" rel="">NFT Perp</a>.</p>
<p>We&rsquo;ll be covering NFT-Fi in more depth this week on the Bankless Newsletter - Stay tuned for more alpha on that front.</p>
<h3 class="header-with-anchor-widget"><strong>4. Web3 Social</strong></h3>
<div id="&sect;web-social" class="header-anchor-widget">
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<p>Between DeFi, NFTs, and just pure speculative trading, many of the most popular crypto use-cases to date have been entirely financial in nature.</p>
<p>While nearly all dapps touch money to some degree, there are numerous applications that are largely non-financial that seem set to gain traction in the near future.</p>
<p>One exciting sector of this are decentralized media platforms. These networks differentiate themselves from Web2 incumbents by providing users with strong censorship resistance guarantees and creators with an increased ability to port their audience.</p>
<p>A few apps and protocols to keep an eye on in the coming months are&nbsp;<a href="https://gm.xyz/" rel="">gm.xyz</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://lens.xyz/" rel="">Lens</a>, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.deso.org/" rel="">DeSo</a>, an L1 specifically designed to host blockchain-based social applications.</p>
<h3 class="header-with-anchor-widget">5. GameFi</h3>
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<p>Another area that could grow is crypto gaming (GameFi).</p>
<p>There have been hundreds of millions poured into this sector over the past year following the success of play-to-earn games like Axie Infinity, STEPN, and Sweatcoin.</p>
<p>Although many gamers seem to hate crypto and NFTs today, GameFi has the potential to serve as a major funnel to bring hundreds of millions, if not billions of users on-chain.</p>
<p>Will we finally see a breakout AAA quality crypto game?</p>
<p>Hear what Vance Spencer thinks.</p>
<h3 class="header-with-anchor-widget"><strong>Hope Is On the Horizon</strong></h3>
<p>While crypto feels listless, there are many network upgrades and innovative applications alike that are poised to help drive the next wave adoption and make crypto exciting again.&nbsp;</p>

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