The possible future of cryptocurrency?

"Cryptocurrency" is a confusing term - Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, etc.. usually come to mind.

It's simpler than that: a cryptocurrency is value that can be cryptographically secured, and digitally represented and transmitted via the Internet.

Bitcoin fits this description. So does a Euro that also meets these characteristics. There are differences, e.g. one is the product of national monetary policy; the other isn't. There are also similarities, e.g. they both benefit from the technical capabilities of the Internet (there are lots of benefits).

Convertible + transferable = interoperable:
With that in mind, I think it's safe to say that an increasing variety and volume of existing stores of value - national currencies like Euros, commodities like gold, Internet currencies like Bitcoin, etc. - will become transferable and exchangeable as crypto currencies, likely using a common protocol (like Ripple (payment network); note - I work at Ripple Labs) to do so.

For example: today, Bitcoin is a valuable commodity (~$5b), and so are loyalty points (~$350b) gold (~$10,000b). Rather than using cryptocurrency technologies to switch these stores of value to a new single store of value, why not focus on making them more interoperable, i.e. easier to exchange?

Cryptocurrency can be a friendly movement:
I think interoperability is a more practical and credible outcome that requires less disruption (damage to the incumbent ecosystem) and more construction (enhancing the ecosystem).

These following cryptocurrencies are predicted to be some of the promising one's and could follow or surpass Bitcoins expectations.

Ethereum - It is a smart contract based platform. Much different than Bitcoin.
NEO - Also a smart contract based platform. Called the Ethereum of China. Has the same potential if not more than Ethereum.
IOTA - Truly revolutionary blockchain technology. Transforming blockchain to a new level essentially. It’s actually Tangle technology, not blockchain.
Civic- Building an identity based platform that could replace a lot of login credentials. Doctor’s office, airport, etc.
EOS - A new ICO that will bridge the gap between programmers, and the blockchain making it easier for them to program and develop on.
As i said above that they are predicted that doesn't mean those can beat the bitcoin maybe they can maybe cannot.

That's the thing i like about it. Uncertainty.

It is not easy to predict the future, but I think cryptocurrencies, especially the concept of digital and boundary less currency and more importantly the technology behind it (blockchain) has a great future.

Just think how complex the normal currency system of a country is and how it operates. The cryptocurrency, with the help of blockchain technology has replicated that system just with the help of a computer program. So it definitely has merits. The success depends on how much acceptance it gets from countries as right now it is suspected to be used for many illegal activities. So its acceptance in the mainstream and a internationally accepted regulatory framework will increase the chances of success.

Any new system goes through a series of booms and busts before it gets good enough to get widespread acceptance. I think same is happening with cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is already seeing few cycles of booms and busts and the blockchain technology, which was considered fullproof, is also being hacked. This will lead to understanding vulnerabilities and closing the gaps. As it happens, we might see an all new financial sector in the decades to come.