According to crypto asset manager 21Shares, the biggest growth in 2026 is happening in stablecoins, tokenization, and prediction markets, not Bitcoin.
Their latest State of Crypto report notes that these areas are expanding even as the overall market struggles, while Bitcoin, decentralized finance (DeFi), and crypto treasury firms have not met expectations. The report points out that crypto is evolving more because of real-world use and new regulations, rather than just speculation.
Looking back at its forecasts from the start of the year, 21Shares says most long-term trends in the industry are still on track, but some are moving slower than expected.
The firm had predicted that Bitcoin’s usual four-year market cycle would end as more institutions joined through spot exchange-traded funds. But after hitting about $126,000 in October 2025, Bitcoin dropped sharply, repeating the pattern seen after previous halvings.
Even with the price drop, 21Shares points out that Bitcoin’s correction has been less severe than in past bear markets. This shows stronger institutional involvement and a better market structure. The company now expects Bitcoin to climb back toward $100,000 by year-end, though not to new record highs.
The report singles out stablecoins as one of the best-performing parts of crypto. While the earlier prediction of a $1 trillion stablecoin market now seems too high, 21Shares expects supply to reach $400 billion to $600 billion this year. New regulations, like the US GENIUS Act and the EU’s MiCA rollout, should keep supporting growth.
Prediction markets have done better than expected. By the end of May, trading volume reached almost $57.5 billion, so the sector is likely to beat the earlier $100 billion annual forecast. More clear regulations, better technology, and rising political uncertainty have all helped boost demand.
The report is less positive about decentralized finance. The total value locked is still much lower than earlier predictions, partly because over $840 million was lost in more than 50 security breaches this year. The KelpDAO hack especially led to big withdrawals and hurt investor confidence.
At the same time, tokenized real-world assets are becoming one of crypto’s most promising long-term areas. Public blockchain tokenized assets are now worth over $30 billion, and institutional projects add up to about $350 billion. Big financial players like DTCC and Nasdaq are showing that traditional finance is starting to use blockchain more.
Overall, 21Shares thinks crypto is turning into a more mature financial system. Growth is now driven more by regulation, institutional involvement, and real-world use than by speculation alone.
It’s halftime for 2026.
6 months ago, we made 10 bold crypto predictions for 2026.
The core thesis? That crypto shifts from narrative to fundamentals.
The verdict? The picture is more nuanced than we expected.Read what’s holding up, what’s shifting, and what to expect next.…
— 21shares US (@21shares_us) June 24, 2026
Source: 21shares.com
Stay informed with the latest trends in Web3, blockchain innovation, and cybersecurity updates at 3verseTV
You need to login in order to Like
Leave a comment