Meet the Top Crypto Influencers of 2023 on APED.ai

• 2023 Crypto Industry Recap: Challenges, Changes and Influential Figures
• Recovery and Growth
• The Most Influential 50 in Crypto
• The Full List of Influencers
• NFT Auction and the Hunger Project
• Most Influential 2023

2023 Crypto Industry Recap: Challenges, Changes and Influential Figures

The crypto industry faced a period of retrenchment and transition after dealing with numerous scandals in 2022. The likes of FTX$3.28 -5.38%, Three Arrows, and Celsius experienced asset price crashes leaving the entire industry in a phase of redefining strategies and enhancing compliance. Various crypto platforms including Coinbase, Binance, Kraken underwent major investigations from regulators. Equally significant was the conclusion of legal battles such as the Ripple's case with the SEC over the sale of XRP$0.620 -1.68%.

Recovery and Growth

By the end of the year, the volatility in the industry began to clear. A major event was Sam Bankman-Fried's guilty verdict for massive securities fraud in November 2023. The verdict marked a turning point for both supporters and critics and the industry looked forward to improved regulatory clarity. With comprehensive legislation such as MiCA coming into force in Europe, and several bills on the agenda for the U.S. Congress, the horizon appeared more stable. At the time of review, Bitcoin$42,260 -0.64% had doubled its price from the previous year, and numerous other digital currencies were on the rise. Traditional finance sectors have also taken a keen interest in digital assets, engaging more in tokenization and staking of real-world assets. The possibility of approvals for spot bitcoin ETFs in the near future signals the entrance of millions more into the crypto markets, marking the industry's entrance into mainstream finance.

The Most Influential 50 in Crypto

The 'Most Influential' series tells the tale of the year in the crypto world, profiling fifty individuals who have contributed to shaping the industry. As expected, many of the names hail from regulatory, lawmaking, and policy-advocacy sectors. Among the top ten influencers are SEC Chair Gary Gensler, Ryan Selkis, the Messari CEO who has taken a leading role in advocating for crypto in Washington D.C. Other influential figures include Casey Rodarmor, the creator of the Ordinals Theory, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, and Jose Fernandez da Ponte who led PayPal's initiative for its Ethereum$2,315 -2.42%-based U.S. dollar stablecoin. Tether$1.000 -0.12%'s new CEO Paolo Ardoino also gained recognition for his leadership despite facing criticism over its stablecoin business.

The Full List of Influencers

The comprehensive list features individuals from various industry sub-sectors including NFTs, DeFi, hardware, and central bank digital currencies. The list combines familiar names, like Ledger CEO Pascal$0.00088 -33.07% Gauthier, and fresh faces from traditional finance sectors, indicating the increasing convergence of the two. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who once dismissed bitcoin, is also mentioned as his company is now exploring a bitcoin ETF launch. Another intriguing inclusion on the list is Ian Allison, who broke the news about the dodgy balance sheet of Bankman-Fried's Alameda Research, triggering the downfall of FTX and SBF's trial.

NFT Auction and the Hunger Project

Additionally, ten leading artists were commissioned to create original artwork for the series. These pieces are now available as NFTs and will be auctioned beginning after 12 p.m. ET (17:00 UTC) on Dec. 4, running for 24 hours after the first bid on the Transient Labs' sales platform. A portion of the NFT proceeds will be donated to The Hunger Project, a New York-based non-profit organization dedicated to combating global hunger.

Most Influential 2023

Since its inception, the 'Most Influential' list has sought to highlight key industry trends, themes and the individuals associated with them. The list is not intended to be comprehensive or a ranking system, but rather a snapshot of industry influencers. Feedback on the choices made is encouraged and all are invited to check out the NFTs and participate in the auction to support the artists and The Hunger Project.

Edited by Jonathan Stoker