According to Crunchbase writer Marlize van Romburgh, 2021 will be a tough act to follow from a venture funding perspective: a record-setting $643 billion was invested in start-ups last year, with a huge emphasis on the tech industry. 

This year, van Romburgh's predictions are more measured, but crypto and fintech feature quite heavily.  Digital commerce isn't slowing down any time soon, and with that comes strong interest in the underlying infrastructure, payments (including buy now, pay later), and of course, cryptocurrencies.  

Of note: crypto start-ups may draw more investments related to compliance, as a more robust regulatory framework emerges and regulatory scrutiny increases.