Cryptocurrency Trends to Watch in 2026

Compilation: Plain Language Blockchain

The crypto investment space continues to expand, but capital is becoming increasingly selective. Competition for liquidity now spans not only the growing number of Tokens but also includes crypto stocks linked to digital asset businesses and Tokenized stocks that bring equity exposure on-chain.

Data Source: Coin Metrics Network Data Pro

Bitcoin’s dominance is projected to rise to around 64% by 2025, reaching the highest level since April 2021. Meanwhile, the total market cap of altcoins remains below previous cycle highs (about $1.1 trillion), with the top 10 assets (excluding stablecoins and on-chain derivatives) accounting for approximately 73% of the value.

Looking ahead, as the investment universe broadens and markets mature, capital may concentrate into assets with better liquidity and established positions. These assets typically have clearer fundamental demand, more robust Tokenomics structures, and proven product-market fit, rather than broad risk exposure.

Deeper integration with capital markets

As ETFs and corporate treasuries solidify into structural demand channels, the integration of cryptocurrencies with capital markets deepens further, reshaping how institutional funds enter and influence the crypto market.

Currently, spot Bitcoin ETFs hold about 1.36 million BTC (roughly 6.8% of the current supply), with assets under management (AUM) exceeding $150 billion, effectively offsetting long-term holder selling pressure. Similar dynamics are observed with Ethereum and Solana. Against the backdrop of rising US debt, strengthening gold, and monetary policy trajectories, demand for non-sovereign value storage like Bitcoin continues to be supported. Therefore, institutional participation through spot ETFs is expected to expand from early adopters to a broader base of allocators, including retirement accounts and large asset managers.

Data Source: Coin Metrics Network Data Pro

Staking yields (Native Yield) of Proof-of-Stake (PoS) network Tokens are the next step in this integration. From BlackRock’s staking Ethereum ETF application to treasury strategies involving actively staked assets, all point toward a future combining capital appreciation with on-chain yields, making crypto exposure a productive and income-generating component of institutional portfolios.

The rise of super apps and crypto banks

Trading platforms and fintech companies are converging from different starting points into full-stack crypto “super apps”. Coinbase exemplifies this shift, with subscription and service revenues growing over 7 times since 2021, expanding beyond trading into stablecoin interest, staking rewards, Base L2 income, and tokenized financial products. Robinhood and Kraken’s ventures into tokenized stocks, prediction markets, and embedded DeFi highlight the verticalization trend in crypto business models.

Source: Coinbase Quarterly Earnings Report

Meanwhile, crypto-native companies are gaining deeper access to traditional financial infrastructure. In December, five firms (Circle, Ripple, BitGo, Fidelity Digital Assets, and Paxos) received conditional approval for national trust bank charters, enabling direct access to the Federal Reserve’s payment system and closer integration with the banking system.

Stablecoins as the backbone of on-chain adoption

By 2025, stablecoins are projected to reach $300 billion in size, with transfer volumes increasing by over 150%. The passage of the GENIUS Act has strengthened the link between digital dollars and US Treasuries, solidifying their role as a dollar distribution layer. This has sparked a new wave of access from traditional finance, payment companies, and crypto-native firms, leading to competition across issuance, settlement, and payment layers.

Data Source: Coin Metrics Network Data Pro

Transaction costs on major blockchains are compressing to sub-cent levels (below $0.01), unlocking new adoption scales. Small stablecoin transfers under $1,000 have tripled year-over-year, surpassing 10 million transactions. As integration with traditional systems deepens, stablecoins may further expand into cross-border remittances, consumer and B2B payments, microtransactions, and savings products. Stablecoins are becoming the foundation for next-generation on-chain economic activity.

Tokenization moving toward production scale

Tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) is shifting from experimental to production phases. DTCC (Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation) has received SEC approval to tokenize the Russell 1000 index, ETFs, and government bonds on public blockchains. Galaxy has achieved equity tokenization on Solana, while Robinhood and Backed Finance are bringing over 400 US stocks on-chain.

Source: “2025 Digital Asset Report” jointly published by Talos and FactSet

The scope of asset migration to blockchain continues to expand, including:

• Money market funds from JPMorgan, BlackRock, and Franklin D.
• Tokenized Treasuries as yield alternatives.
• Commodities like gold, valued at $3.5 billion.
• A variety of stocks (from native issuance to perpetual contracts).

Regulatory clarity, technological maturity, and institutional participation are gradually falling into place, indicating a full acceleration of tokenization in 2026.

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