2017 has been one hell of a ride for Cryptocurrencies. Those who were fortunate to get in early enough will more than likely be reading this post on a beach sipping on a pino colada, while the rest of us continue to dream big. Whether you have a financial interest in the technology or not, one thing for certain is that it doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. As we approach the end of another year, 
Dennis Harting is a technologist and regular author on Steemit. His content primarily focuses on what he sees as “what tomorrow will be like and the the technology that will change it.”
Our interview with Dennis looks at the following:
-Steem to reach $100 (A conservative estimate!)
-Institutional money coming into the Crypto sphere
-Future Blockchain economy
-2018 Blockchain predictions
-Can Bitcoin keep its crown?
-What Cryptocurrencies will find 2018 to be the toughest year?
What I believe 2018 will bring
Despite the obvious risks in making any predictions, I feel confident that we will see the following:
1. Cryptocurrencies will continue to grow, fuelled by the growth of technology and mainstream adaption.
2. Blockchain solutions will continue to develop as the ‘low hanging-fruit’ gets addressed.
Although quieter than expected this year, I believe we will continue to see blockchain solutions come into production as enterprises address the "low-hanging fruit" by digitizing businesses and use cases where blockchain can make the most impact.
As we saw payments do in 2017, I expect to see trade finance go live on blockchain in 2018. In payments, momentum will pick up and volumes will increase as larger banks get in on the act. These players will be tempted by the advantages blockchain brings in terms of real-time processing, lower risk profiles, lower costs and transparency.
3. New eco-systems will develop as it is driven by smart contract technology.
As blockchain continues to change market structures, companies will increasingly focus on changing business models. In a world where middlemen are becoming obsolete, companies will have to learn to stop thinking in silos and be more open to becoming partners in ecosystems. That means deciding what kinds of business models they want – particularly as blockchain looks at combining with A.I for example This would create new types of marketplaces.
4. The scalability and performance of blockchains will become a key concern for many and it will be interesting to see how such challenges are overcome.
A clear challenge right now is the challenges existing blochain tech faces with performance and scalability. Next year we will have to start seeing alternatives to current blockchain technologies that will be more scalable, faster and minimize energy consumption – a key challenge I believe to bring this to the mainstream!
5. People will begin to open their eyes and appreciate that blockchain technology is crucial success factor!
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First shoutout of the week is for 
The second goes to myself, 
https://steemit.com/blockchain/@antonburton/talking-crypto-kitties-and-other-dapps
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