My Predictions for 2017
Introduction
A lot of news organisations are making their 2017 predictions so I thought I might do some of my own. It is also a nice opportunity for me to pull out some cool stock images.
Some of these predictions are obvious or mundane. Some are a bit crazy but hopefully you find them fun nevertheless.
I will keep it brief due to the reasons I explained yesterday.
Block-chain Based
- Bitcoin exceeds and makes a new floor at $1K I think this is a safe bet really and to be honest well overdue.
- Bitcoin replaces the dollar as the unofficial currency of choice in failed states and cases of hyperinflation. I think we are already seeing this in some cases.
- Venezuela starts selling oil in Bitcoin? (See also petro-dollar prediction.)
- ZCash becomes number 2 cryptocurrency behind Bitcoin.
- Ethereum continues it's downturn and reaches sub $1 levels before it starts to see a gradual increase in confidence again.
- Steem hits the $1 dollar level again and establishes that as a consistent floor. It becomes the number 3 cryptocurrency. OK so I'm a bit biased here but I think it is possible!
- First small nation or pricipality anounces plans to start moving their currency to a blockchain based system.
General Tech
- First functional quantum computer with more than 2 qubits announced. (OK a longshot but could happen).
- President Trump announces a JFK like plan to send first humans to Mars within 7 years along with new enhanced public/private partnerships to begin working on lunar colonisation and space mining.
- A private space flight company surprises everyone by successfully sending a craft into space and returning it safely ahead of previous predictions.
- LG abandons LCD production to focus solely on OLED screens. Other manufaturers start producing their own OLED panels.
- With 4K barely through the door manufacturers of TVs start pushing out 8K models and a Japanese company shows their prototype for a 16k set.
- First major hard drive manufacturer stops making magnetic hard drives, or spins off (pun intended) and sells their magnetic drive business to a competitor.
- First VR injury or health related lawsuit is announced - may be even a class action lawsuit. Opthalmologists and opticians argue for a ban on anyone under 16 using VR headsets along with calls for legislation.
- First artificially grown pancreas from a patients own stem cells is grown and surgically implanted curing the patient of type I diabetes - wishful thinking for me I suppose but it can't be far off.
- First licenses granted for the use of Bacteriophages to treat bacterial infections in humans/animals.
- First plans announced for a mass produced flying car. The company that announces it becomes a huge success before getting derailed by legal problems and never being heard from again.
- First official "sex" robot is released.
Non-tech
- Collapse of the petro dollar system and switch to sales in multiple currencies. OPEC starts to break down.
- One or more further EU countries announce their own referenda on exit prompting sharp falls in the Euro and economic turmoil.
- UK government announces plans for mandatory ID cards for everyone.
Conclusions
OK so what do you think? Are any of these possible or likely? Perhaps you think they are too obvious.
Do you have any of your own? Please have your say in the comments.
The crazier or funnier they are the better!
Hopefully we can revisit them next year and see if any came true!
Thank you for reading.
"I see lots of nuts....."
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Your BTC predictions are interesting. $780 looks like a cork on a bottle of Champagne, so $1000 doesn't look like stretch at any time in 2017. As we look back from 2018, we may see a dramatic rise to $2000 or above, and then a correction BACK DOWN to $1000 at some point, which become the new floor. BTC replacing the dollar as the unofficial currency of choice in failed states and cases of hyperinflation sounds right, but probably still in its role as a store of value and exit valve. It may take longer for people to actually use it regularly in commerce. I don't think Venezuela or anyone else will be exporting oil for BTC, but I do expect to see more individual nations making petro deals in their own currencies - thus weakening the dollar... perhaps fatally for its role as a reserve currency (eventually). Probably won't complete the process in 2017, but the process will begin and accelerate. Watch Russia, China, Turkey, Brazil, (Iran?)... I think the big story for Ethereum in 2017 could be the emergence of Ethereum Classic as a viable platform for developers as they strengthen the ETC community and tweak the monetary policy. The ETH/ETC system will continue to be attacked, and will either become resilient or begin to fade. One prediction I make is that BTC gets a huge boost in 2017 from the approval at some point of the first BTC ETF (exchange traded fund). That would give investors an easy way to get exposure to hedge risk in financial assets, which will be volatile as asset bubbles explode.
Thanks mate. Brilliant comments and points. Yes I think I maybe jumped the gun on a few of the predictions like the petrodollar but I think it is on the horizon.
I am hoping that BTC does get beyond the $1K barrier again because it has been so long overdue. I agree that if it breaks it, it will likely be the new floor and certainly much higher prices are possible (even if only temporarily). Long term I thing we could see 10K or more but that is still a few years away I think.
Interesting thoughts on ETC/ETH. I agree it will be very much a make or break year for both.
I like your BTC ETF prediction - that is one I have heard before and I think even if it doesn't happen in 2017 it will happen the following year. Someone will do it.
Thank your for input:)
@thecryptofiend - plz check your steemit.chat account later tonight or tomorrow. I'm planning to drop a note about a small project I'm working on to create a "virtual whale".
OK will do. Are you going to dm or is it in a channel?
Incredible use of imagery and such a professional looking post. Been so busy lately so haven't had much time to catch up on Steemit but seeing you here still delivering fantastic content always brings a smile to my face.
Hope you're keeping well also and again, great stuff, @thecryptofiend!
Thank you so much! Yes am still around. My main computer has died and needs to go back to Apple to get fixed so am relegated to using my PC (with a tiny monitor which is half dead) so I'm not on as much as I would like. It is just too tiring on the eyes plus with it being so close to Christmas there is a lot of regular life stuff to do! Hope you are well and things are good?
I think the Bitcoin price is a safe bet but Im not sure about Zcash.
Let's see:)
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Thanks.
I would say all is possible, but many tech ideas may not occur if the SHTF this year or early next... well except Bitcoin pushing to be the run to alternative when they can't find gold or silver.
Yes a global meltdown seems closer and closer everyday. Hopefully we can stave it off but who knows - I'm working on the assumption it doesn't happen because it is less depressing but there is no way to know. A lot of economists have been predicting a "real" depression that would be more like the 1929 one for some time.
I am actually optimistic, but there will have to be a slowdown as right now they do not know what they are doing. But a great post and thanks.
Yes it may well be coming! Thanks.
Awesome news. Resteemed this. Thanks for share @thecryptofiend
Thank you so much. You're welcome:)
Beautiful article, my friend. I particularly love your prediction on Bitcoin but as you rightly say, that's seems like a given at this point. Let's just hope Steem follows the same path, eh?
Great job as always, buddy! :)
Exactly. Thank you so much:)
Would take a lot to get the brits to accept ID cards.
I see Steem stabilising around 30-40 cents.
They've tried to push them through before. I expect a big backlash if they do.
In the near future quite possibly. I'm thinking of later on in the year.
Oh yes the pancreas please. My mother has been Type I for 30 years. My sister now for 10 or so. Would be very beneficial for mankind. Would Eli Lilly allow it is another question.
I don't think they could stop it. It will happen eventually I think. We are not far off.
Interesting:-)
Thanks:)