In Focus: Of Clubhouse and Cryptocurrencies — Why They Are the Hottest Trends in 2021

As we continue to grow apart, new trends in 2021 will eclipse those that awed us in 2020.

Clubhouse is an invitation-only audio-chat iPhone app launched in April 2020. Although it was released a year ago, it only boomed early 2021.

Clubhouse is currently only available on iOS. Any iPhone user can download the app, which is where you listen to conversations and how you participate. You see the unlabeled rooms of all the people you follow, and you can join to talk or just listen along, milling around to find what interests you. You can jump in, or leave, anytime. And unlike Twitter or Facebook, it is not moderated. The person who organised the invite would give the guests the permission to speak but ultimately, they say whatever they want.

Today, the app has millions of registered users. It is by invitation only. But, when it is open for all, as expected sometime soon, the number of users will certainly swell.

Clubhouse offers the opportunity to connect with others in your industry, as well as to network with other business leaders. Beyond the mentorship potential, you can also use it to become a thought leader yourself.

Famous people in Clubhouse? How does Grant Cardone, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey sound? Need we say more?

Cryptocurrency is virtual cash or digital asset. It is used as a medium of exchange with strong cryptography to secure financial transactions, control additional unit creation and substantiate asset transfer.

Cryptocurrency is decentralized digital money, based on blockchain technology. You may be familiar with the most popular versions, Bitcoin and Ethereum, but there are more than 5,000 different cryptocurrencies in circulation

• Bitcoin (BTC)

Bitcoin has dominated the market since the first bitcoins were mined in January 2009 — but that doesn’t mean it has always been smooth sailing. Bitcoin prices hit a high of around $20,000 in December 2017 before collapsing in 2018, reaching a bottom at $3,234 by the end of that year. Since then, however, Bitcoin has enjoyed a comeback as prices surged to more than $40,000 in January 2021 for a market cap of more than $1 trillion — meaning bitcoins accounted for more than 69% of the cryptocurrency market.

The supply of Bitcoin is limited to 21 million. That’s 21 million that will ever, ever exist! A total 18.5 million Bitcoins have been mined, leaving less than 3 million yet to enter the ecosystem. When and how will the remaining BTC be mined?

• Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum is a software platform based off blockchain technology in which users can exchange a cryptocurrency called ether. Ether has become one of the most popular cryptocurrencies in the world, with a market cap approaching $139 billion that puts it second only to Bitcoin in market share.

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have indeed proven resilient. Investor interest, both retail and institutional, in digital currencies has risen dramatically in recent months. Many early investors who were eager to make gains from the “cryptocurrency craze” have since moved on to other ventures. But there are still reasons to believe that the cryptocurrency industry has some fight in it left.

Reena Guerrero is the Marketing Manager for the IX Brand. She is Your Social Media Unicorn.