Platform relevance instead of price cycles: how will crypto develop in 2026

The cryptocurrency market is on the verge of a qualitative transformation. Instead of focusing solely on price fluctuations, the market is shifting toward analyzing the role that individual platforms and their ecosystems will play. This shift means that the success of projects in 2026 will depend not only on asset value growth but also on their functional relevance and ability to attract developers.

Decentralized platforms become the focal point

Ethereum and Solana will continue to be in demand among developers, but this does not guarantee them stable dominance. Platforms based on niche scenarios — particularly fintech chains — may be at risk. The reason is simple: competition remains fierce, and differentiation requires constant innovation. Users are less willing to switch to new networks without a clear advantage.

At the same time, large tech corporations are expected to consider launching their own cryptocurrency wallets and even private blockchains. Infrastructure solutions like Avalanche, OP Stack, Orbit, and ZK Stack could become the foundation for these ambitions. This is where platform relevance lies — they must serve as building blocks for large-scale projects.

Bitcoin grows, but its influence is redistributed

It is expected that Bitcoin may approach $150 000 by the end of 2026 under favorable conditions. However, even with such growth, its share of the overall market may decrease. This paradox indicates that capital is being redistributed in favor of alternative assets and protocols.

The main movement of capital will be directed toward platforms demonstrating practical relevance. Ethereum and Solana will benefit primarily from attracting developers, rather than from speculative inflows.

Consolidation in DeFi and increased stability

The market for decentralized perpetual futures exchanges is likely to narrow to a few leaders due to liquidity concentration. Meanwhile, share of perpetual contracts will expand, potentially reaching over 20% of total trading volume in DeFi.

(Stablecoins) will continue to grow. Their total volume could increase by approximately 60% over the year, while Tether (USDT)’s market share will decrease to about 55%. This reflects diversification and competition within the segment.

Payment cards linked to stablecoins will undergo active expansion. This will be driven by regulatory clarity as well as the readiness of traditional US banks to start issuing their own stablecoins through subsidiaries.

Security and challenges remain critical

Despite improvements in auditing, exploits and hacking attacks will continue to rise. Increased capital flows often attract more sophisticated threats. Operational risks will not decrease proportionally with adoption — they will evolve alongside it.

New application areas and their limits

Prediction markets may gain wider recognition, but legal uncertainty will persist in most jurisdictions. Only a small number of platforms aimed at mass users will be able to achieve significant scale.

Artificial intelligence will benefit the crypto ecosystem mainly through improving developer productivity and security tools, rather than through consumer applications. Automation will enable smaller teams to build complex systems faster, and defensive mechanisms will improve in parallel with evolving threats.

Regulation as a catalyst for change

In the US, the Clarity Act may come into force by 2026, which would be a significant step for the industry. Crypto projects associated with political figures could become the focus of increased attention depending on changes in the political landscape.

Conclusion: 2026 will be marked not by prices but by platform relevance. Projects that can provide real functionality and attract developers will benefit regardless of market fluctuations. Volatility will remain, but capital motivation will shift toward quality and functionality rather than pure speculation.