An interview series spotlighting global tech influencers, disruptors, visionaries, and of course, innovators.
Best wishes for a prosperous and healthy 2022!
To recap, this year’s EKMH Innovators’ predictions continue to cover a gamut of sectors, topics and trends, including blockchain, DeFi, TradFi, cryptocurrency, NFTs, medtech, social media, GameFi, metaverse and data. Many thanks to the inspiring trailblazers who share their insight and whose innovations and leadership will continue to guide us into a brighter future.
Curious about past predictions? Click here to read more about expert insights on 2017 marketplace lending, 2018 crypto, 2018 blockchain, 2018 fintech, 2019, 2020 and 2021 predictions.
When asked about his predictions for 2022, Axelar CEO and Co-Founder Sergey Gorbunov, the universal interoperability network securely connecting all blockchain ecosystems, applications, assets and users, commented:
As we move forward into 2022, there are more blockchain networks than ever before. This coming year, it’s critical that these chains are developed to communicate with one another so that assets such as tokens, NFTs and smart contracts information can be transferred between chains. This represents a significant challenge for the year ahead, due to the fact that many of these networks have their unique languages - creating an obstacle for seamless communication.
In 2021, we saw developers and blockchain firms approach this problem by attempting to build once-off bridges between two networks, or interoperability add-ons to connect various components of their ecosystem. This has proven to be inefficient and adds unnecessary security risks for the ecosystem, as often these approaches rely on a centralized party moving assets from one chain to another. Despite the existing challenges, we now see the demand and have a huge opportunity to accelerate the blockchain space by connecting these siloed blockchains.
In the coming year, we’re going to witness the development of singular, universal infrastructures that help blockchain ecosystems achieve true interoperability, taking the industry a step closer to mainstream adoption. As more developers engage with blockchain in 2022 and become acquainted with the advantages (and the disadvantages the industry is striving to overcome), this is hopefully something we can work on collectively.
Curious about past predictions? Click here to read more about expert insights on 2017 marketplace lending, 2018 crypto, 2018 blockchain, 2018 fintech, 2019, 2020 and 2021 predictions.
*Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this series are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.
Search below or check MuckRack to access thousands of interviews, articles and predictions in the EKMH Innovators Interview Archive. Be an active part of the conversation.