Outlook 2022: Will Evans, CEX.IO

Will Evans is Managing Director, U.S. of CEX.IO, a bitcoin and crypto exchange.

Will Evans

What were the key theme(s) for your business in 2021?

CEX.IO has positioned itself for growth in the U.S. market. This has been achieved by taking a measured and strategic approach to scaling up the business on three fronts: partnerships, personnel, and products. 

What are your expectations for 2022?

Interoperability will be a key driver in 2022. This year saw the beginning stages of separate networks within the blockchain ecosystem coming together. 2022 will bring a deepening of their connectivity, which will come in the form of more expansive platforms (bridges), products (i.e. wallets with built-in IBC), and the presence of traditional crypto companies in DeFi/metaverse.

What trends are getting underway that people may not know about but will be important?

A shift from big tech to crypto: Brian Roberts, the former CFO of Lyft, is joining OpenSea, the world’s largest NFT marketplace. OpenSea has generated $10bn in lifetime sales and has nearly 1 million users as of December 2021. 

Smaller countries adopting crypto: El Salvador BTC bonds is a precedent that flew under the radar in 2021, but this could be a trend moving forward.

Merging DeFi and CeFi: Combining the ideals of DeFi (a democratized system without vertical authority) and the security measures/audits and accessibility enabled by CeFi will bring cryptocurrencies and blockchain tech closer to the mainstream.