Close Menu
Crypto Junction
  • Crypto News
    • News
    • Bitcoin
    • Blockchain
    • BNB
    • Dogecoin
    • Ethereum
    • Litecoin
    • Meme Coins
    • Solana
    • Toncoin
    • XRP
  • Business
  • Markets
  • Regulation
  • Guides
  • Press Release
What's Hot

Tech Giant Google’s Universal Blockchain Ledger Goes Live

September 2, 2025

Nvidia Q2 Earnings Exceed Estimates: Blackwell Powers Market Gains

September 2, 2025

REX-Osprey Moves Forward With SEC Filing For BNB ETF

September 2, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
  • Altcoin News
  • Bitcoin News
  • Dogecoin News
  • Ethereum News
  • Litecoin News
  • Meme Coin News
  • Solana News
  • XRP News
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest Vimeo
Crypto JunctionCrypto Junction
  • Crypto News
    • News
    • Bitcoin
    • Blockchain
    • BNB
    • Dogecoin
    • Ethereum
    • Litecoin
    • Meme Coins
    • Solana
    • Toncoin
    • XRP
  • Business
  • Markets
  • Regulation
  • Guides
  • Press Release
Crypto Junction
Home » 2021’s Biggest Crypto Moments: Bitcoin’s $1T Milestone, NFTs, and More
Crypto

2021’s Biggest Crypto Moments: Bitcoin’s $1T Milestone, NFTs, and More

Karly MarieBy Karly MarieDecember 31, 2021Updated:March 13, 2025No Comments5 Mins Read
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Reddit Telegram Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

The year 2021 cemented cryptocurrency’s place in mainstream finance, with the market briefly exceeding $3 trillion in value in November. Bitcoin and Ethereum reached record highs, meme coins like Dogecoin experienced rollercoaster rides, and NFTs sold for millions at prestigious auction houses. Meanwhile, blockchain-based finance (DeFi) and Web3 development surged, attracting institutional and retail investors alike.

With so many groundbreaking developments, here are 12 defining moments that shaped the crypto landscape in 2021.

1. Bitcoin Surpassed $1 Trillion in Market Value

On February 19, Bitcoin (BTC) achieved a historic milestone, crossing $1 trillion in market value for the first time. The surge was fueled by institutional backing from companies like Tesla, Square, and MicroStrategy, which began holding Bitcoin on their balance sheets. This marked a turning point in crypto’s acceptance among major financial players.

2. NFTs Took Over the Art World

March witnessed a seismic shift in digital art with the $69.3 million sale of Beeple’s NFT artwork Everydays: The First 5000 Days at Christie’s auction house. The event catapulted non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into mainstream consciousness, with artists, musicians, and gaming companies jumping on board. By the end of 2021, the NFT market saw over $23 billion in trading volume, revolutionizing digital ownership.

3. Elon Musk and the Dogecoin Frenzy

Elon Musk’s influence on Dogecoin (DOGE) was undeniable. His Twitter endorsements sent DOGE soaring to an all-time high of $0.73 on May 8, just before his Saturday Night Live appearance. However, the price tumbled 29% as Musk jokingly called Dogecoin a “hustle” on the show. Despite its volatility, Musk’s tweets kept DOGE in the spotlight throughout the year.

4. El Salvador Became the First Nation to Adopt Bitcoin

In a groundbreaking move, El Salvador made Bitcoin legal tender in June, requiring businesses to accept it as payment. The country launched Chivo Wallet, gave citizens $30 in Bitcoin, and even invested in BTC reserves. Despite global skepticism, this step positioned El Salvador as a pioneer in national crypto adoption.

5. Ethereum’s Game-Changing EIP-1559 Upgrade

Ethereum (ETH) underwent a major upgrade in August with EIP-1559, changing the way transaction fees (gas fees) were calculated and introducing ETH burning, reducing supply. This set the stage for Ethereum’s transition to Ethereum 2.0 in 2022, replacing energy-intensive mining with proof-of-stake (PoS) for improved efficiency and scalability.

6. DeFi Hacked: The $600 Million Poly Network Breach

August also saw one of the largest DeFi hacks ever, with over $600 million stolen from Poly Network. The hacker later returned the funds, but the breach underscored security risks in decentralized finance (DeFi). In total, $7.7 billion was lost to crypto scams in 2021, with rug pulls—fraudulent projects that disappear with investor funds—becoming alarmingly common.

7. China’s Complete Ban on Cryptocurrency

China intensified its crypto crackdown in September, declaring all crypto transactions illegal and forcing Bitcoin miners out of the country. As a result, the U.S. overtook China as the world’s largest Bitcoin mining hub, with 35.4% of global hashrate by October. This marked a major shift in Bitcoin’s decentralization.

8. The First U.S. Bitcoin Futures ETF Launched

In October, the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) debuted on the New York Stock Exchange, marking a regulatory milestone. This futures-based ETF allowed investors exposure to Bitcoin without directly buying it, fueling optimism for broader institutional adoption.

9. Bitcoin’s Biggest Upgrade in Four Years: Taproot

November saw Bitcoin’s first major upgrade since 2017—Taproot. It enhanced transaction privacy, efficiency, and smart contract capabilities, making Bitcoin more versatile. This upgrade is expected to drive decentralized applications (dApps) on the Bitcoin blockchain in the coming years.

10. Crypto Regulation Takes Center Stage

Regulators took a tougher stance on crypto in 2021. SEC Chairman Gary Gensler pushed for clearer rules, while the Infrastructure Bill introduced new tax-reporting requirements for crypto exchanges. The bill’s broad definition of “brokers” sparked controversy, with crypto lobbyists pushing for amendments.

11. Ethereum Competitors Rise: Solana and Avalanche Gain Market Share

With Ethereum gas fees skyrocketing, alternative blockchain networks like Solana (SOL) and Avalanche (AVAX) surged in popularity. Solana’s lightning-fast transactions and Avalanche’s eco-friendly model attracted developers, with both networks seeing billions in total value locked (TVL). Ethereum still dominated DeFi, but its challengers proved formidable.

12. DAOs Enter the Spotlight

In November, ConstitutionDAO made headlines by raising $40 million in an attempt to buy a rare copy of the U.S. Constitution. Though it lost to hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, the event highlighted the power of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)—a community-driven model shaping the future of governance and crowdfunding.

The Future of Crypto: What’s Next?

2021 was a year of explosive growth, regulation battles, and technological advancements for cryptocurrency. With Ethereum 2.0 on the horizon, continued NFT adoption, and institutional investment increasing, crypto’s mainstream integration is just beginning.

As we head into 2022, the question remains—how high can crypto go, and what challenges lie ahead?

altcoins Bitcoin Blockchain China ban Crypto Crypto Market Crypto Regulation DAO DeFi Dogecoin Ethereum NFTs Web3
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
Previous ArticleCrypto’s Historic Year: Five Times Governments Embraced Digital Assets in 2021
Next Article Best Cryptocurrencies for 2022: Expert Insights on Coins to Watch
Karly Marie
Karly Marie

Related Posts

Blockchain

Tech Giant Google’s Universal Blockchain Ledger Goes Live

September 2, 2025
Crypto

Crypto Retirement Funds Beckon As Young Brits Cash Out

September 2, 2025
Blockchain

Lutnick Leads U.S. Push To Publish Economic Data On Blockchain

September 2, 2025
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Trending Posts

Crypto’s Historic Year: Five Times Governments Embraced Digital Assets in 2021

December 30, 2021

Ethereum’s Constantinople Upgrade Successfully Activates at Block 7,280,000

March 2, 2019
News

Cannes Film Festival Spur Crypto Adoption

May 7, 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest sports news from SportsSite about soccer, football and tennis.

Crypto Junction, founded in 2014, is one of the original and most trusted sources for cryptocurrency news and blockchain insights. We provide accurate, unbiased, and timely coverage of digital assets, market trends, and industry developments.

All content on Crypto Junction is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or legal advice. Cryptocurrency investments are highly volatile and carry risks. Always conduct your own research before making financial decisions.

We're social. Connect with us:

X (Twitter) Telegram
Top Insights

Tech Giant Google’s Universal Blockchain Ledger Goes Live

September 2, 2025

Nvidia Q2 Earnings Exceed Estimates: Blackwell Powers Market Gains

September 2, 2025

REX-Osprey Moves Forward With SEC Filing For BNB ETF

September 2, 2025
ABOUT
  • About Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Editorial Policy
  • Investment Disclaimer
  • Press and Media Kit
  • Terms of Service
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Crypto Marketing
  • Daily Digest News
Telegram X (Twitter)
  • Altcoin News
  • Bitcoin News
  • Dogecoin News
  • Ethereum News
  • Litecoin News
  • Meme Coin News
  • Solana News
  • XRP News
© 2025 Crypto Junction

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

bitcoin
Bitcoin (BTC) $ 111,627.91
ethereum
Ethereum (ETH) $ 4,367.98
xrp
XRP (XRP) $ 2.86
tether
Tether (USDT) $ 1.00
bnb
BNB (BNB) $ 854.06
solana
Solana (SOL) $ 210.97
usd-coin
USDC (USDC) $ 1.00
staked-ether
Lido Staked Ether (STETH) $ 4,360.63
dogecoin
Dogecoin (DOGE) $ 0.216616
tron
TRON (TRX) $ 0.339552
cardano
Cardano (ADA) $ 0.835395
wrapped-steth
Wrapped stETH (WSTETH) $ 5,288.54
chainlink
Chainlink (LINK) $ 23.55
wrapped-beacon-eth
Wrapped Beacon ETH (WBETH) $ 4,704.99
wrapped-bitcoin
Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) $ 111,621.91
ethena-usde
Ethena USDe (USDE) $ 1.00
hyperliquid
Hyperliquid (HYPE) $ 45.70
figure-heloc
Figure Heloc (FIGR_HELOC) $ 1.01
bitcoin-cash
Bitcoin Cash (BCH) $ 603.97
sui
Sui (SUI) $ 3.37
wrapped-eeth
Wrapped eETH (WEETH) $ 4,685.75
stellar
Stellar (XLM) $ 0.365584
avalanche-2
Avalanche (AVAX) $ 25.12
weth
WETH (WETH) $ 4,371.51
hedera-hashgraph
Hedera (HBAR) $ 0.221541
crypto-com-chain
Cronos (CRO) $ 0.262222
leo-token
LEO Token (LEO) $ 9.48
litecoin
Litecoin (LTC) $ 112.17
usds
USDS (USDS) $ 0.999847
the-open-network
Toncoin (TON) $ 3.16
shiba-inu
Shiba Inu (SHIB) $ 0.000012
binance-bridged-usdt-bnb-smart-chain
Binance Bridged USDT (BNB Smart Chain) (BSC-USD) $ 1.00
world-liberty-financial
World Liberty Financial (WLFI) $ 0.230128
coinbase-wrapped-btc
Coinbase Wrapped BTC (CBBTC) $ 111,653.92
whitebit
WhiteBIT Coin (WBT) $ 42.89
polkadot
Polkadot (DOT) $ 3.84
bitget-token
Bitget Token (BGB) $ 5.12
uniswap
Uniswap (UNI) $ 9.58
ethena-staked-usde
Ethena Staked USDe (SUSDE) $ 1.19
monero
Monero (XMR) $ 272.94
aave
Aave (AAVE) $ 321.42
ethena
Ethena (ENA) $ 0.721471
dai
Dai (DAI) $ 1.00
pepe
Pepe (PEPE) $ 0.00001
okb
OKB (OKB) $ 178.08
mantle
Mantle (MNT) $ 1.13
ethereum-classic
Ethereum Classic (ETC) $ 20.92
jito-staked-sol
Jito Staked SOL (JITOSOL) $ 257.76
bittensor
Bittensor (TAO) $ 324.38
near
NEAR Protocol (NEAR) $ 2.46
ondo-finance
Ondo (ONDO) $ 0.970739
polygon-ecosystem-token
POL (ex-MATIC) (POL) $ 0.288393
aptos
Aptos (APT) $ 4.33
usdt0
USDT0 (USDT0) $ 0.999919
pi-network
Pi Network (PI) $ 0.347182
arbitrum
Arbitrum (ARB) $ 0.503658
usd1-wlfi
USD1 (USD1) $ 1.00
binance-peg-weth
Binance-Peg WETH (WETH) $ 4,371.09
internet-computer
Internet Computer (ICP) $ 4.84
binance-staked-sol
Binance Staked SOL (BNSOL) $ 225.91
story-2
Story (IP) $ 7.78
blackrock-usd-institutional-digital-liquidity-fund
BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) $ 1.00
kaspa
Kaspa (KAS) $ 0.084264
cosmos
Cosmos Hub (ATOM) $ 4.49
vechain
VeChain (VET) $ 0.023927
algorand
Algorand (ALGO) $ 0.235178
gatechain-token
Gate (GT) $ 16.96
jupiter-perpetuals-liquidity-provider-token
Jupiter Perpetuals Liquidity Provider Token (JLP) $ 5.50
rocket-pool-eth
Rocket Pool ETH (RETH) $ 4,976.98
susds
sUSDS (SUSDS) $ 1.06
fasttoken
Fasttoken (FTN) $ 4.51
pudgy-penguins
Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) $ 0.030821
kucoin-shares
KuCoin (KCS) $ 15.10
kelp-dao-restaked-eth
Kelp DAO Restaked ETH (RSETH) $ 4,588.93
render-token
Render (RENDER) $ 3.47
worldcoin-wld
Worldcoin (WLD) $ 0.893307
sei-network
Sei (SEI) $ 0.289227
bfusd
BFUSD (BFUSD) $ 0.999702
kinetic-staked-hype
Kinetiq Staked HYPE (KHYPE) $ 45.82
official-trump
Official Trump (TRUMP) $ 8.40
memecore
MemeCore (M) $ 1.02
sky
Sky (SKY) $ 0.071087
stakewise-v3-oseth
StakeWise Staked ETH (OSETH) $ 4,597.07
fetch-ai
Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET) $ 0.621895
bonk
Bonk (BONK) $ 0.000021
liquid-staked-ethereum
Liquid Staked ETH (LSETH) $ 4,719.28
filecoin
Filecoin (FIL) $ 2.28
usdtb
USDtb (USDTB) $ 1.00
jupiter-exchange-solana
Jupiter (JUP) $ 0.499936
lombard-staked-btc
Lombard Staked BTC (LBTC) $ 111,636.91
flare-networks
Flare (FLR) $ 0.020814
quant-network
Quant (QNT) $ 101.64
polygon-bridged-usdt-polygon
Polygon Bridged USDT (Polygon) (USDT) $ 1.00
xdce-crowd-sale
XDC Network (XDC) $ 0.078234
four
Four (FORM) $ 3.59
pump-fun
Pump.fun (PUMP) $ 0.003868
falcon-finance
Falcon USD (USDF) $ 0.999994
tether-gold
Tether Gold (XAUT) $ 3,539.39
renzo-restaked-eth
Renzo Restaked ETH (EZETH) $ 4,617.59
injective-protocol
Injective (INJ) $ 13.20