3 crypto-market trends to look out for this year, according to PwC

3 crypto-market trends to look out for this year, according to PwC

Mergers and acquisitions will be a big theme in the cryptocurrency space, according to PwC, after the value of M&A deals in the sector doubled year over year in 2020.

In a report published on Monday, the Big Four accounting firm revealed that the average M&A deal size jumped by 174% from $19.2 million to $52.7 million, with four deals valued at more than $100 million in 2020. The firm also revealed that transactions are shifting away from the Americas, with 60% occurring in Asia and Europe compared to 2019.

Transactions, according to PwC, are also more spread out across categories.

"With increasing interest in crypto from retail and institutional investors following the positive market momentum, it is not surprising to see increase M&A in the broader train sector," the report said.

The report comes amid a rapid rise of interest in the cryptocurrency space, with bitcoin, the most popular digital asset, rising 600% in the past year alone. While many bitcoin bears continue to criticize cryptocurrencies, many advocates are expecting the boom to continue amid rising interest from both retail buyers and institutions.

The UK-based firm, in the report, then outlined the three trends to expect in the M&A activity in the crypto space