Seven cryptocurrency trends that will define 2026

In December 2025, former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said the crypto market could enter a “supercycle” in 2026. This would be a long period of growth that no longer depends on the traditional four-year Bitcoin halving cycle. The idea is not new and appears almost every year. Still, recent developments suggest it may now be realistic, as the old market model is already starting to break down.

At the same time, Bitcoin ownership is becoming more concentrated among institutional investors. In the past, crypto was often described as a private or retail-driven currency. By the end of 2025, large institutions are expected to control around 19% of the total Bitcoin supply, an unprecedented level.

The crypto industry is changing quickly. Capital is shifting toward corporations and governments, and regulation is moving closer to the traditional financial system. In this environment, Zhao’s comments are less a bold prediction and more an observation of what is already happening. Cryptocurrency is no longer a niche asset, and 2026 could become a turning point for the entire market.

Below are seven trends that are likely to shape the next stage of the industry

Tokenisation of real-world assets (RWA)

At the end of 2025, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and COO Rob Goldstein described tokenisation as the biggest change in finance since the introduction of double-entry bookkeeping. This process includes stablecoins, which tokenise fiat currencies, as well as real-world assets such as commodities, art, investment products, and ETFs.

Tokenisation is starting to blur the line between traditional finance and crypto. It creates several practical advantages.

Value can be transferred without intermediaries or geographic limits. Ownership rights are recorded instantly, along with sales and any related transactions or deductions.

It also brings assets to a global market, making them easier to divide into smaller units, improving liquidity, and opening access to buyers worldwide.

Over the past year and a half, the RWA token sector has grown by around 300% and continues to expand. Growth is strongest in countries where banks limit access to foreign investments and in regions with clear and predictable regulation.

As a result, real-world asset tokens are no longer seen as an experiment. They are becoming a standard part of the financial system and are likely to be one of the key pillars of the next crypto cycle.

As cryptocurrencies become more accessible and user-friendly, they are also opening up new opportunities for online gaming and entertainment. Platforms like Slotozen Casino now accept crypto for deposits, making it easier for players to try out games instantly. Using a Slotozen Casino no deposit bonus code, new users can start exploring without committing funds, demonstrating how digital assets are creating seamless experiences beyond finance – from trading to gaming.

Private use of AI in working with cryptocurrencies

In recent years, artificial intelligence, like blockchain, has been adopted across many industries, including digital assets and the broader crypto ecosystem. AI is now being integrated into blockchain technology itself, as well as into the tools people use to manage and trade cryptocurrencies.

These changes are not always obvious because there is still no single mass-market product. However, AI is already used widely and affects nearly every stage of the process, from development to trading.

AI systems analyse market data, forecast price movements, identify potential entry points, and assess risk. They also monitor blockchain activity, tracking capital flows, detecting suspicious transactions, and analysing the behaviour of large wallets.

AI helps with portfolio creation and management as well. It can select tokens based on risk profiles and strategies, and automatically rebalance holdings through personal AI assistants.

The relationship also works in the opposite direction, strengthening both technologies. Blockchain is increasingly used to build decentralised AI services, improving transparency, security, and trust.

The rise of smart wallets

A new technology moving from the experimental stage to mainstream use is account abstraction. This approach creates crypto wallets based on smart contracts, offering flexible security and automation.

The main advantage is convenience, which could drive wider adoption of cryptocurrencies while preserving blockchain-level decentralisation and security.

For users, smart wallets make authorisation simple, allow fees to be paid in any currency, and reduce many common beginner mistakes.

For services, they provide a user-friendly layer for custodial and semi-custodial access, including features like spending limits, temporary keys, and automated processes — capabilities that were largely missing in crypto until now.

This represents a shift from traditional “addresses” to full “accounts” without losing the core principles of cryptocurrency. Wallets are becoming services with a user experience that feels familiar to the average person.

Confidentiality without compromising compliance

Some trends have been developing for years, waiting for the right moment. Zero-knowledge proofs (ZK) could be a major technology in 2026, allowing verification without revealing underlying data.

The concept first appeared in 2016–2017 when Zcash used zk-SNARKs to enable private transactions. Today, with increasing regulation and the growing de-anonymisation of crypto, ZK technology is becoming essential — a move from full anonymity to secure, verifiable identification.

For users, it means age, citizenship, or status can be verified without sharing personal data. Large exchanges and financial firms are already testing these systems.

For regulators, transactions remain invisible to the public but can still be confirmed as compliant with rules.

For institutional investors, banks and corporations are using ZK proofs to report compliance without disclosing confidential information.

This technology resolves the long-standing tension between privacy and regulatory oversight, a challenge that will be increasingly important across the market in 2026 and beyond.

Popularisation of crypto cards

Crypto cards are becoming one of the fastest-growing consumer products in the crypto market. Over the past few years, they have evolved from a niche tool into a full-fledged payment layer where users can spend digital assets as easily as regular money. Their main advantage is their deep integration with fiat: automatic conversion at the time of purchase and payments via Visa and Mastercard.

Users only deal with crypto, without having to sell it manually beforehand.

The main driver of this trend is the need for tools that are as convenient as the banking system but without its drawbacks and, even more importantly, with the advantages that only blockchain can offer: global reach and autonomy.

As a result, the crypto card segment is growing rapidly: exchanges and wallets are issuing cards with significant cashback, instant replenishment from the wallet, cash withdrawals at ATMs, and zero commissions on payments.

The move towards UX

Until around 2020, the prevailing belief was that people should adapt to blockchain, rather than blockchain adapting to users. The idea was simple: the “new world” of crypto requires new behaviour and personal responsibility.

However, as the market grew, it became clear this approach was not scalable. After 2020, a new phase began: crypto services started focusing on user experience (UX).

Smart wallets and crypto cards are part of this shift, but the move toward UX is significant enough to be considered a separate trend.

The key idea is that users don’t need to understand the technical protocols to use them — just as people don’t need to know how SWIFT works to send a bank transfer. Simplifying the experience is essential for mass adoption, and new technologies show it can be done without losing the core principles of cryptocurrency.

The paradigm shift in the crypto market

Let’s return to where we started.

By 2024, most of the crypto world accepted the cyclical nature of the market tied to Bitcoin halving — an event that occurs roughly every four years, reducing the rate of new coin issuance, controlling supply, and increasing demand.

Ironically, once this became widely recognised, the pattern changed. Bitcoin reached a new price high even before the halving, and predictions that the cycle would end around May–June 2025 proved wrong. Bitcoin continued to climb.

This doesn’t mean halving is irrelevant. Its influence is now coupled with accelerating mass adoption, reflected in:

The launch of ETFs, first for Bitcoin and then for other cryptocurrencies.

Shifts in crypto policy under the new US administration.

Growing institutional ownership, with around 19% of Bitcoin now held by funds, corporations, and states.

Does this mean we are truly in a “mythical” supercycle and halving no longer matters? Not exactly. But the focus has shifted to external factors, not just internal cycles. This shift may be the most important trend for the market.

We don’t know exactly what 2026 will bring, but the direction is clear: higher adoption, integration with traditional finance, and easier, user-friendly access — all while keeping the core principles of cryptocurrency intact.

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