eToro: the 5 crypto trends of 2022

eToro released survey data yesterday revealing pessimism about the global economy. The number of investors worried about inflation grows to 47%.  At the same time, the trading platform suggested the 5 crypto trends of 2022.

eToro and the global economy outlook survey

The popular trading platform eToro yesterday released the results of the survey conducted by Opinium from November 30 – December 14, 2021 on a total of 8,500 retail investors sampled in 12 countries. 

The data summary is the following:

• 54% of DIY investors say they are “not confident” about the outlook for the global economy;
• Inflation is a growing concern with 47% of investors concerned compared to 38% in June;
• One in four investors (26%) now see international conflict as a greater risk to markets.

In this regard, Ben Laidler, Global Markets Strategist at eToro commented:

“DIY investors’ weakening confidence in the global economy comes amid signs that the recovery is losing steam in the US, China and the UK and with central banks considering interest rate rises to battle inflation. […] However, our data suggests the majority of retail investors are holding fast with their investment strategies for now. While certain risks are posed for markets in the year ahead and we’ve seen something of a pivot in recent days toward stocks that benefit from interest rate rises, there’s little indication that retail investors are beginning to significantly diverge from their strategies”.

The 5 trending crypto sectors of 2022 according to eToro

eToro also provided the 5 trending crypto sectors for this 2022. 

First up is the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) sector which, according to eToro, looks like it will go beyond the collectible jpeg format. In fact, the platform cited NFL programs that are working with Polygon to use NFTs for ticket sales, while TikTok also released trending videos as NFTs. 

In second place as a 2022 crypto trend, eToro places the sector related to the metaverse, play-to-earn, and blockchain gaming.

Also on the podium but in third place, eToro places layer 2 solutions, which, like Polygon (MATIC) on Ethereum, are the solutions to the congestion on layer 1 and continue to bring popularity to decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFTs. 

Continuing with the list, eToro places in fourth place the trend of crypto payments becoming mainstream, thanks to the continued involvement from financial giants like Visa and Mastercard and institutional, like the state of El Salvador that made Bitcoin legal and Myanmar that adopted Tether as an official currency. 

Finally, in fifth place of the 5 crypto trends 2022, eToro includes the possibility of governments cautiously embracing crypto-assets. As an opportunity for this year, the trading platform believes it’s possible that even the US SEC may finally approve Bitcoin ETFs. 

MetaverseLife for metaverse investors

Last week, eToro launched its section dedicated to the metaverse: MetaverseLife. It is a solution to benefit investors by offering a diverse range of investments made for long-term exposure. 

MetaverseLife’s smart portfolio includes game designers, social platforms, 3D software developers, hardware companies and cryptocurrencies related to the metaverse. 

Currently, MetaverseLife involves 28 markets, led by Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook), followed by Roblox and the metaverse on Blockchain from Decentraland, The Sandbox and Enjin. Microsoft, Amazon and Nvidia are also included in the smart portfolio, as companies that have contributed to the adoption and development of the metaverse.