What is the future of cryptocurrency? A crystal ball could have saved investors some big losses over the past year, as the market dropped $2 trillion from its November 2021 high to its current valuation. But while some crypto lending platforms and hedge funds are filing for bankruptcy, others are celebrating new funding and acquisitions.

How can market analysts form a long-term vision for blockchain technology in the middle of such contrasting fortunes?

The answer is that even the most educated crypto experts are projecting possibilities rather than laying out concrete paths. The industry is barely in its teens, and blockchain has yet to clearly define its function. However, most agree that the technology will be influential in shaping the future of business technology.

On July 29, a select consortium of cryptocurrency and blockchain experts will gather to discuss the future of cryptocurrency at the Monaco Crypto Summit event. TheCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio, will be there, bringing our community the latest insights from the world of high-stakes digital finance. (* Disclosure below.)

TheCUBE examines the diverse and differentiated world of decentralized currency

On one end of the crypto-predictions scale are the faithful bitcoin maximalists waiting for the arrival of hyperbitcoinization. On the other are researchers such as Nassim Nicholas Taleb, distinguished professor of risk engineering at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering and scientific advisor for Universa Investments LP. Taleb reversed his pro-crypto stance when he published a paper stating that bitcoin “does not constitute, not even remotely, a safe haven for one’s investments, a shield against government tyranny, or a tail protection vehicle for catastrophic episodes.”

Then there’s the medium ground: an understanding that while individual cryptocurrencies and other hyped technologies, such as non-fungible tokens, could be here today and gone tomorrow, the technology on which they exist — blockchain — has a potential that is yet to be fully understood.

“Remember: Not all crypto products are purely financial; many are more consumer-facing products, like systems for coordinating group decisions or managing event tickets,” said Scott Duke Kominers, professor of business administration at the Harvard Business School and research economist for the National Bureau of Economic Research, speaking in an interview with the Harvard Gazette.

Kominers’ stated his long-run view that blockchain holds “real fundamental technological value” … once the market has worked out how to securely realize it.

Cryptocurrency will be the “last piece of the puzzle” in a technological revolution that started with advances in artificial intelligence, robotics and the internet of things, according to Jake Ryan, founder and chief information officer of Tradecraft Capital LLC and author of “Crypto Asset Investing in the Age of Autonomy.”

“[Cryptocurrency] allows us to process and transfer economic value without human intervention. This technology will fuel the need for businesses to build autonomous operations,” Ryan stated in a LinkedIn post.

The Financial Times’ markets news editor Adam Samson sees a potential for blockchain-based products “that make business and financial processes more efficient and transparent.” In a question-and-answer session published in the Financial Times on July 20, Samson cites as examples the U.K. asset management industry’s proposal to tokenize coins to cut down on back-office costs and JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s use of blockchain technology for intraday repurchase agreements.

Look out for big news and big names at Monaco Crypto Summit

The theme of the Monaco Crypto Summit, sponsored by DigitalBits Foundation, is the future of cryptocurrency. The event is expected to create plenty of crypto buzz for theCUBE’s industry analysts to dissect. Event speakers include Al Burgio, founder of DigitalBits; Brittany Kaiser, co-founder of Own Your Data Foundation; Dustin Plantholt of Forbes Monaco; Kory Hoang, founder and chief executive officer of Stably; Lauren Bissel, founder and CEO of Immutable Industries; Raj Rajkotia, CEO of LootMogul; Bryan Talebi, founder and CEO of Ahura AI, and many others.

DigitalBits posted a recent community update, stating: “There are certain confidential elements under development that are due to be made public on the 29th of July. … These elements are integral to the future journey of DigitalBits.”

Other announcements theCUBE will be discussing with guests include how blockchain technology is supporting growing ecosystems around DevOps, computing and global economics; Web3 developments; new partnerships, products and future projects; and how the evolution of blockchain could revolutionize the underlying infrastructure of enterprise tech.

His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco will be one of the evening’s expected special guests at the Monaco Yacht Club, according to an announcement. With so many big names associated with the cryptocurrency community, who knows who could show up on theCUBE’s livestreaming set? What theCUBE can guarantee for the Monaco Crypto Summit on July 29 is our signature in-depth analysis as we discuss the breaking news and emerging trends in cryptocurrency and blockchain.

TheCUBE event livestream

Don’t miss theCUBE’s coverage of Monaco Crypto Summit on July 29. Plus, you can watch theCUBE’s event coverage on-demand after the live event.

How to watch theCUBE interviews

We offer you various ways to watch theCUBE’s coverage of Monaco Crypto Summit, including theCUBE’s dedicated website and YouTube channel. You can also get all the coverage from this year’s events on SiliconANGLE.

TheCUBE Insights podcast

SiliconANGLE also has podcasts available of archived interview sessions, available on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify, which you can enjoy while on the go.

SiliconANGLE also has analyst deep dives in our Breaking Analysis podcast, available on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify.

Guests

Stay tuned for a complete list of expert guests theCUBE analysts will speak with during Monaco Crypto Summit.

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the Monaco Crypto Summit event. Neither DigitalBits, the sponsor for theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Image: SiliconANGLE