As 2026 approaches, numerous authoritative institutions and industry experts have released their forecasts and analyses for the cryptocurrency market. This article systematically synthesizes these core viewpoints to help you clarify the development trajectory and anticipate future directions.

I. Market Trend Predictions

1. Bullish Expectations
   Tommy Shaughnessy, Founding Partner of Delphi Ventures, points out that the industry's fundamentals continue to strengthen—increased Wall Street participation, evolving regulatory frameworks, and protocol-layer innovation will collectively drive long-term market growth. Despite short-term impacts from recent events, both BTC and SOL are expected to reach new all-time highs in 2026.
   Yili Hua, Founder of Liquid Capital, similarly believes the market has entered a bottoming phase and anticipates a new bull market in 2026.

2. Cautious and Structural Views
   Cantor Fitzgerald suggests the market may enter a "consolidation phase" earlier than expected, with Bitcoin potentially retesting its cost basis. However, an institution-dominated market structure should mitigate systemic risk. The passage of key regulatory legislation could serve as a critical turning point.
   10x Research notes that while current market activity is low, derivatives positioning indicates potential for a shift. A breakout above key resistance levels could lead to a trend reversal for both Bitcoin and Ethereum in January.

3. Divergent Views
   Cryptocurrency analyst Benjamin Cowen believes that if Bitcoin is in a bear market, it will be difficult for Ethereum to independently reach new highs.
   Kobeissi Letter judges the recent decline as a "mechanical bear market" driven by excessive leverage and expects Bitcoin to gradually recover in 2026.

II. Industry Ecosystem Development

1. Market and Infrastructure
   Galaxy Research expects Bitcoin could still reach new highs amid volatility and highlights continued growth in stablecoins, the Solana ecosystem, crypto ETFs, and DeFi sectors.
   Coinbase Institutional argues that the expansion of market structure will be central, with the derivatives market undergoing a reset. The stablecoin and payments sectors will face a true test under stronger regulation.

2. Sector-Specific Forecasts
   Haseeb, Managing Partner at Dragonfly, predicts BTC will surpass $150,000, with stablecoin supply seeing significant growth.
   Anatoly Yakovenko, Co-founder of Solana, forecasts the total stablecoin market cap will exceed $1 trillion, alongside parallel advancements in AI and space exploration.
   Jay Yu, Junior Partner at Pantera Capital, outlines 12 trends, including the evolution of capital-efficient on-chain lending, AI becoming a primary interface for crypto interaction, and the rise of tokenized gold.

III. Macro Environment and Policy

Jake, OTC Desk Head at Wintermute, notes that the beginning of 2026 will see the convergence of multiple macro events, potentially leading to significant volatility.
Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody's, expects the Federal Reserve to implement multiple gradual rate cuts in 2026, while strategists at BlackRock believe there is limited room for further easing.
Harry Dent, Founder of HS Dent, warns of risks from a multi-asset bubble, whereas Elon Musk expresses optimism about U.S. economic growth. Such macro signals often influence the direction of crypto asset prices.

IV. ETF Development and Institutionalization

Analysts at Bitfinex predict that driven by institutional adoption and new products, the assets under management (AUM) of crypto ETFs could double by the end of 2026.
Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, believes the current market downturn is temporary and 2026 could be a record year for inflows into crypto ETFs.

V. Other Key Areas

• Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT): The industry faces consolidation, with some entities potentially exiting due to excessive competition or valuation challenges.

• IPO Trends: More compliance, infrastructure, and security-focused crypto projects are expected to pursue public listings in 2026, reflecting industry maturation.

• DeFi Trends: Capital is expected to flow increasingly toward mainstream assets and blue-chip projects with clear value capture. Sectors like stablecoins and RWA will remain in focus.

• GameFi Evolution: The Web2.5 model is gaining traction, emphasizing user experience and real revenue over token speculation.

• AI Integration: Forbes predicts AI development will shift toward practical implementation, with trends like enterprise custom chips, AI in pharmaceuticals, and mainstream brain-computer interfaces gaining prominence.

• Precious Metals Outlook: Analysts are generally bullish on gold and silver, expecting prices to rise further amid the rate-cut cycle and geopolitical risks.

Summary
Entering 2026, the crypto industry is expected to continue evolving through institutionalization, regulatory compliance, and infrastructure deepening. Despite divergent views on short-term market movements, the long-term trend toward greater maturity and structural development is clear. Under the combined influence of the macro environment, regulatory policies, and technological innovation, various industry subsectors will face a new wave of opportunities and challenges.