Gate Research: Bitcoin's institutionalization trend will strengthen in 2026, and monetary policy will depend on the evolution of economic data.

PANews reported on January 24th that Gate Research recently released a report titled "2025 Cryptocurrency Market Review and 2026 Outlook," which indicates that the total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies in 2025 showed a clear "fall-rebound-fall again" trend throughout the year. The report shows that the trading volume of on-chain perpetual contracts continued to expand in 2025, with significant improvements in liquidity and trading experience. Meanwhile, the forecast market trading volume is expected to exceed $10 billion for the year, with product functions gradually upgrading from early event-driven trading to pricing signals for macroeconomic conditions, policy expectations, and sporting event results. In the crypto payment sector, the increased efficiency of stablecoin settlements and the growing demand for cross-border consumption have driven the rapid penetration of stablecoins into real-world payment scenarios.

From a capital perspective, the Web3 industry completed nearly 1,000 financing deals in 2025, totaling approximately $34.9 billion, indicating a more selective allocation of funds. Meanwhile, although the number of Web3 security incidents decreased throughout the year, the size of individual losses significantly increased, further highlighting the importance of security auditing and access control.

Looking ahead to 2026, Gate Research believes that Bitcoin's holding structure is continuing to concentrate on large institutions and professional custodians, which will help improve overall market stability. Against the backdrop of increasing uncertainty regarding inflation and employment prospects, the path of monetary policy remains uncertain, and the pace and magnitude of subsequent interest rate cuts will heavily depend on future economic data.