The 2018 edition of BTC Inc’s “Map of the Blockchain/Crypto Ecosystem” has been unveiled. The map provides a visual representation of “the space” in the form of a city skyline with buildings displaying the logos of various entities. While many of the logos were selected by BTC Inc’s editorial staff to reflect the most prominent and successful blockchain and crypto ventures, others were purchased by these projects as sponsorships.
“This map is meant to provide a captivating snapshot of what has become a diverse and dynamic space,” said Peter Chawaga, editor-in-chief of yBitcoin. “It’s proven to be really popular with crypto developers and programmers as well as the larger blockchain companies and entrepreneurs in the space.”
Designed by Josh Dykgraaf, who was also the creative hand behind the map’s previous two iterations, the cityscape is subdivided into 10 islands, each depicting a distinct facet of the industry: Mining, Processors, Media & Advocacy, Currencies, Wallets/Hardware, Exchanges, ICOs/Tokens, Enterprise, Blockchain Venture Capital and Blockchain Applications & Projects. With the exception of the ICOs/Tokens islands, which forms the epicenter of the city, each district sits on a separate island connected to the mainland by a series of highways.
The ecosystem also includes a number of hidden gems. Upon closer inspection, one will find that the buildings in the Mining district are constructed from server towers. Various travel and recreational amenities can be found as well such as the CoinCart stadium, a Space Chain rocket lunch and a Bitcoin 747.
Dykgraaf placed his favorite feature, the “Hodlrcoaster,” in the Currencies district, of course, for those thrill seekers who are brave enough to ride the ups and downs of the crypto markets.
“The work is a composite of 3D and photo-manipulation,” said Dykgraaf. “The buildings that appear on the poster are all real-world buildings, mostly in New York, London, Shanghai, Dubai and Chicago. They are mostly based on high-angle, photographic material I’ve shot and then manipulated into isometric perspective. Some of them were constructed in 3D as sponsors requested certain buildings (e.g. the Burj Al Arab). All up, it represents about 200 hours of work.”
The map is a testament to just how far the young industry has come in its development and exploration of all the available niches in the space. It will appear in print as part of the spring issue of yBitcoin, which will be officially released on May 11, 2018. It will also be available as a standalone poster.
Note: yBitcoin and the ecosystem map are owned by BTC Inc, which also owns Bitcoin Magazine.