What's next for cryptocurrency? After a big rise, especially with Bitcoin leading, the approval of Bitcoin ETFs in the US in January was a big deal. The total value of all cryptocurrencies went up from $1.5 trillion to $2.4 trillion since then, a 60% increase. However, crypto is still small compared to gold and Microsoft. Despite predictions that ETF approval would lead to a drop in prices, the opposite happened. Now, the big question is: What happens next? ETFs and strong demand have pushed prices up. The upcoming Bitcoin halving could also affect prices positively. Institutional investors are putting a lot of money into ETFs, which could make the crypto market less volatile. However, for crypto to become mainstream, it needs more real-world uses. While there are many applications for crypto, most are still in early stages or cater to niche markets. To know where we are in the cycle and how to invest, consider that searches for "crypto" or "Bitcoin" have gone up recently but aren't as high as during the 2021 bull market. Altcoins haven't had their big moment yet, so there could still be room for growth. Investing in cryptocurrencies is like investing in early-stage companies. Many cryptocurrencies won't have a big impact, so it's important to diversify your investments. Investing in a broad index could be a smart move for the long term, similar to investing in the Nasdaq index for stocks.
