- Cryptocurrencies continue to be an industry defined
by both significant opportunities and risks.
Today, we see all the characteristics of a marketplace
and technology in a rapid state of change.
Each day brings new participants, more investment,
more challenges, and in many cases, many new questions.
Just several years ago,
there were only a few hundred cryptocurrencies.
Today, there are thousands and growing.
In addition, the crypto coin and crypto token space
has opened up to include non-fungible tokens, or NFTs,
security token offerings, or STOs, decentralized finance
and complex token-powered applications.
More functions are likely on the way
including a version of the internet called Web 3
that will be owned by participants
and operate and handle transactions
through the use of cryptos.
There's enormous enthusiasm and a belief
in a lucrative and innovative future.
But the cryptocurrency marketplace
is certainly not without its critics.
Many believe cryptos are a novelty
that will ultimately fail.
They might be right.
After all, suggesting a completely new future for money
and the exchange of value
was never going to be a trivial notion.
To understand what to do now means that individuals,
organizations, and governments have to make some bets
on what might happen next.
In the 21st century, the opening years
of a fourth industrial revolution,
anticipating the future requires us
to think about new ways of doing things.
For startups and existing organizations,
there are new products and service opportunities.
Each leap in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies
generates an ecosystem of necessary attendant needs,
from software developers, to architects,
to advisors and strategists.
For individuals, this is a great time for learning
and for doing a careful amount of experimentation.
Buy some crypto, write a distributed app,
or build a small mining rig.
That said, as many have rightly advised,
right now, it's probably a bad idea to invest
in cryptocurrencies if you can't afford to lose most
or all of your investment.
I encourage you to explore my other cryptocurrency
and blockchain courses on LinkedIn Learning.
Take a look at Blockchain Basics
and Blockchain: Beyond The Basics.
You may also find the Introduction To Non-fungible Tokens,
or NFTs, an important part of your crypto learning journey.
Other instructors, including Tom Geller,
have produced some valuable and relevant crypto courses
here on LinkedIn Learning.
No matter where you stand on cryptocurrencies,
whether you're bullish or bearish, I think we can all agree
that the future is going to be fascinating.
I'm grateful you've spent time with me and this course.
Good luck with your efforts and thank you.