Ethereum Narrative Ends, BTC L2 Fights Back? 20 Major Predictions for the Crypto Industry in 2026

比推Published on 2025-12-10Last updated on 2025-12-10

Abstract

The article "20 Predictions for Crypto in 2026" presents a forward-looking analysis of the cryptocurrency industry. Key predictions include: Ethereum's value shifting towards asset value rather than tech narrative; stablecoin issuance outpacing Layer2 growth; the decline of rollup clusters and privacy-focused projects; the end of retail mining in favor of ETF-like on-chain vaults; and a major hack in "trustless asset management" protocols causing over $100M in losses. Other forecasts highlight the launch of Bitcoin Layer2 solutions, adoption of non-USD stablecoins, and Rollups competing through applications rather than infrastructure. AI is expected to replace communities for asset discovery, while traditional NFTs won’t recover. Celebrity-issued creator tokens on Base will fade quickly. Additional trends include custom Uniswap v4 pools for RWAs, exchanges pushing on-chain products, a shift from retroactive to future governance funding, and a resurgence in token launches. DAOs and delegates will decline in influence, network states may issue real-world assets, AI bug detection tools will emerge (but not replace audits), and prediction markets will face regulatory scrutiny due to insider incentives. The article concludes by emphasizing that these are personal predictions and not investment advice.

Source: Auditless Research

Original Title: 20 Predictions for Crypto in 2026

Note: This article does not constitute investment advice for prediction markets.

As 2025 draws to a close amidst silence and growing pains, we once again begin to question everything—from blue-chip chains like Optimism and Bitcoin to artificial intelligence, without exception.

Below are some predictions in areas I personally follow (please note: these areas may not necessarily align with what is truly important).

Reviewing this article at this time next year should be a useful exercise; at the very least, it will serve as a reminder: don't take the words of online writers too seriously :).

Prediction List

  1. Fintech Public Chains Do Not Create Value for ETH: Ethereum will become a marketing term, and the "Ethereum community" will refocus on its asset value.

  2. Stablecoins Will Outnumber Layer2s: Their mechanisms are similar, but the barrier to issuing stablecoins is much lower. Overall, the industry will learn to monetize Total Value Locked (TVL) as deeply as it monetizes trading volume.

  3. End of the Rollup Cluster Narrative: The model of sacrificing significant sequencer fees for inter-Rollup connectivity will disappear or become commoditized. Major exit events will occur in key Rollup clusters.

  4. Privacy Track Loses Momentum: Large-scale adoption of privacy technology still requires multiple iterations; the current value surge may be premature.

  5. On-Chain ETF-ization and the End of Retail Mining: Through tools like gtUSDa, users will shift from farming specific vaults to depositing funds into standardized vaults managed by collateral assets (e.g., USDC, ETH).

  6. "Trustless Asset Management" Protocol Hacked, Losing Over $100 Million: Protocol architecture will return to the spotlight. Although I do not wish for this, the rapid growth of this sector, the influx of participants into yield projects, and the current trend of protocols taking shortcuts make such an event highly likely. We have done our utmost to build the most secure on-chain asset management architecture, but it is still shocking to see large amounts of funds deposited into vaults that are essentially just multi-signature wallets.

  7. First Bitcoin Layer2s Launch: Despite limited attention and a still chaotic narrative, several teams are working behind the scenes on Bitcoin Layer2s. Their launch will challenge the notion that "BTC is just a meme coin or an outdated relic."

  8. First Non-USD Stablecoins Gain Adoption: A GBP stablecoin might not attract interest, but a Swiss franc or Singapore dollar stablecoin would be a different story. This direction is worth exploring in depth.

  9. Rollups Compete Through Applications: "General-purpose Rollups" without killer apps will struggle fiercely in the battle for transaction volume.

  10. AI Replaces Communities and Social Media as the Channel for Asset Discovery: The hype around meme coin communities has already peaked.

  11. Traditional NFT Collections Will Not Recover Next Year: But expect an increase in asset tokenization cases using the ERC721 standard, even if it's just for Pokémon cards.

  12. A Well-Known Celebrity Issues a Creator Token on Base Chain, Then Everyone Forgets: Creator tokens will follow the trajectory of meme coins and friend.tech. When early holders actually start to incur losses, a negative feedback loop will hinder the long-term sustainability of the current model.

  13. Mainstream Issuers Develop Custom Uniswap v4 Liquidity Pools and Control Liquidity: Initially focusing on real-world asset (RWA) and compliance (KYC) use cases.

  14. Exchanges and Other Integrators Scramble to Recommend On-Chain Products: Because they have figured out monetization pathways (own chain, own stablecoin, revenue sharing, etc.).

  15. "Future Governance" Replaces "Retroactive Funding": Advanced through launch platforms and synchronized campaign platforms like Butter.

  16. Token Launches Resurgence: With regulatory support and better launch platforms, more teams will dare to issue tokens. This partly depends on asset prices in 2026, but we should also see token issuance via future governance platforms become an early-stage financing method.

  17. "Delegates" Decline: The power of DAOs and their delegates will significantly diminish as they are no longer a legal necessity. Protocols not irreversibly tied to the DAO model will gain a competitive advantage in growth momentum.

  18. Network States Issue Real Assets and Become the Focus of Crypto (For About a Week): Whether through real estate ownership or token issuance, the time for the next step of exploration has arrived.

  19. AI Vulnerability Detection Tools Show Initial Results: The first tools capable of independently discovering smart contract vulnerabilities are born, but they still cannot replace audits. Teams relying solely on AI audits will suffer losses.

  20. 1–2 Major Prediction Market Betting Categories Disappear: Insider incentives leading to market unfairness are exposed; platforms will either self-regulate or face external regulation.

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Original link:https://www.bitpush.news/articles/7594767

Related Questions

QWhat is the author's view on the future of Ethereum's value proposition according to the predictions?

AThe author predicts that Ethereum will become more of a marketing term, and the 'Ethereum community' will refocus on the value of its underlying asset, suggesting a shift away from its current financial tech narrative.

QWhat major security event does the author forecast for the 'trustless asset management' protocol sector?

AThe author predicts that a 'trustless asset management' protocol will be hacked, resulting in losses exceeding $100 million, due to rapid growth, yield farming participants, and protocols taking shortcuts in their design.

QHow does the author predict the competition between Rollups will evolve?

AThe author states that Rollups will compete based on the applications they host, and that 'general-purpose Rollups' without a killer app will struggle to compete for transaction volume.

QWhat is the predicted outcome for the first Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions?

AThe author predicts that the first Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions will launch, challenging the narrative that 'BTC is just a meme coin or a stale boomer coin,' despite currently having little attention and a confusing narrative.

QWhat shift in fundraising and governance does the author foresee for DAOs and token launches?

AThe author predicts a decline in the power of 'delegates' within DAOs as they are no longer a legal necessity, and a resurgence in token launches aided by regulatory support and better launch platforms, with future governance platforms becoming a means for early-stage financing.

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