All Articles

Digital Assets 2024 Year in Review

Key Themes & Ideas in 2024

1. Policy & Regulation

  • A16z emphasizes the importance of shaping effective regulations for the crypto industry
  • Focus on acknowledging challenges and seeking constructive paths forward

DUNA (Decentralized Unincorporated Non-Profit Association)

  • New entity structure for DAOs
  • Positioned to become industry standard in the United States

FIT21 Bill

  • Passage in House of Representatives signals positive momentum
  • Aims to bring clarity to crypto regulation in the U.S.

Additional Policy Considerations

  • Market Cycles: Examining why markets favor “memes” over impactful blockchain innovations
  • Prediction Markets: Analysis of their rise, particularly during 2024 election
  • Debanking: Addressing financial institutions’ restrictions on crypto businesses
  • Enforcement: Leveraging former prosecutors’ expertise for effective crypto regulation

2. Code, Engineering & Research

Technical Advancements

  • Progress in SNARKs, light clients, and developer tools
  • Evolution from theoretical concepts to core infrastructure

Governance and Innovation

  • Web3 governance as testing ground for political institutions
  • DAOs as laboratories for democracy experiments

Development Focus

  • Open Source Stewardship: Examining incentives and roadmaps
  • Interdisciplinary Innovation: Blockchain advances benefiting other industries

3. Builder Resources

Strategic Tools

  • Frameworks for building crypto companies
  • State of Crypto Report 2024: Data on stablecoins, AI, and user activity

Founder Support

  • Social Media Guidelines for founders
  • New Financial Models for App Tokens
  • Token Launch Strategies
  • Resilience and Leadership: Insights from industry leaders including Ben Rubin and Brian Armstrong

4. Arts & Culture

Technology and Creativity

  • Examining technology’s influence on artistic evolution
  • Debates on invention vs. remix and commercialism vs. art

Creator Economics

  • Addressing challenges in creator monetization
  • Blockchain solutions for creator control

Digital-Physical Integration

  • Exploration of tap chips and similar technologies
  • Focus on merging digital and physical experiences

5. Read Write Own

Core Concepts

  • Ownership as driver of innovation and creativity
  • Contrast with current internet model

Future Vision

  • Evolution towards “read-write-own” internet
  • Focus on user ownership and control

Resources

  • Exploration of decentralized networks
  • Comprehensive crypto glossary covering key terms