In a year that's seen cryptocurrency markets plunge and too many big hacks, we are proud to say that we've ended 2022 with tens of thousands of downloads of our breakout blockchain framework Ape, the best Python-based framework for developers across the globe!
As the Web3 ecosystem grew in 2022, we attended many community events, and organized some of our own supporting under-represented developers through Aces of Ape! We started off our year at the EthDenver Conference, where we hosted the Banana Jam to break the news that we were finally out of beta! We gave out swag and hosted games to introduce us to new people in the community. At DevConnect Amsterdam, we hosted an epic tea party at the beautiful Amstel Hotel, with our Principal Developer Jules Smith presenting our framework's first layer two plugin StarkNet in a classic, mid-century tea room. During the summer, we represented ApeWorX at ETHNewYork and EuroPython Dublin, building great connections and seeing strong uptake of the framework. And who can forget our time in Bogota, where we co-sponsored the Womxn in Blockchain hub and Cross-Chain Coalition networking event.
Overall, as a team, we supported five Ethereum hackathons and two python-focused conferences. What a busy year! On the product side, we launched our project-based learning platform, Ape Academy, in June to help onboard Python developers deep into Web3! Ape Framework evolved significantly after starting off the year in Beta, with 39 releases of the core framework, over 35 ApeWorX-developed and community plugins and SDKs shipped, and more than 100 projects being developed with Ape! Last but not least, we grew our social channels significantly, expanding our outreach by ending the year at over 4700 followers on Twitter, 550+ stars on Github, and an active Discord with a 25% communication rate. Come say gm!
Our Predictions for 2023
In 2023, the only thing we know for sure is that we'll continue to see many innovations in Crypto, DeFi and NFTs. With all of the chaos in Crypto this past year, much of society’s attention has shifted over to Artificial Intelligence, which has continued to advance in more traditional tech circles as more tools and use cases for mundane tasks are re-imagined to be solved with it. But we all know that bear markets are the best time for builders, so here are our top 5 Crypto predictions for 2023:
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Account abstraction will be a game changer for smart wallet interactions and auto payments with self-custodial wallets. The EIP-86 standard was originally introduced in 2017. Since then, there have been a few modifications and discussions on security and various call function permissions, but no L1 or L2 network took the charge to introduce it until StarkNet came along. With VISA partnering with StarkNet as a layer two solution, this will offer more accessibility features for customers who wish to utilize their self-custodial wallets and digital assets in new and innovative ways. We think this will lead to a revival of the account abstraction conversation!
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AI tools will revolutionize the production and usage of NFTs in many unexpected ways, including creating fashion items, physical collectibles, and other cultural swag. On the smart contract level, we’ll see a more complex use of metadata in relation to AI and how creators will create rarity within collections, leading to more interesting pricing structures.
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We'll continue to see the analysis of on-chain data go parabolic as data tooling starts to catch up with the demand for data-processing solutions by developers. New tools will unlock the ability to process massive amounts of Crypto data, unlocking new skills for developers and users similar to comprehensive models of all of the activities happening on Crypto networks. This area will evolve significantly in 2023; we're banking on it with several planned Ape features!
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Crypto gaming is a new, exciting frontier for gaming enthusiasts. The total market cap for Crypto gaming tokens is over $6 billion, and it’s expected to double by 2024. As emerging markets continue to carry the torch for play-to-earn adoption, the gaming industry will organically give life-changing opportunities to gamers in third world countries. All digital skins and points lead to crypto gaming as entertainment giants like Niantic hop on the bandwagon.
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Digital Fashion will drive a new wave of Web3 adoption as Crypto newbies get introduced to the technology by the brands they love. Currently, luxury digital fashion brand FarFetch has incorporated NFT-checkout technology to a select audience of beta users. Their first collaboration featured a Givenchy and FeltZine NFT 6-piece collection that allowed customers to directly mint on the FF platform and receive both a physical clothing item and digital collectible representing the piece.
It's been quite a journey building Ape into a next-generation Framework that will help make the growing Web3 ecosystem a more inviting space for new developers from all backgrounds, and we can't wait to see what's in store for all of us in 2023!
Happy New Year!
ApeWorX