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  3. Crypto in 2026, What Breaks, What Scales, What Consolidates

Crypto in 2026, What Breaks, What Scales, What Consolidates

Derivatives

Macro

Stablecoin

Written by Thomas Probst , Laurens Fraussen

22/12/2025

    Welcome to the Data Debrief!

    Welcome back to the Data Debrief! Crypto markets enter 2026 in a markedly different position than in prior cycle transitions. Rather than resetting after a speculative peak, the market appears to be progressing through a phase of institutional consolidation. Regulatory clarity, stablecoin-led liquidity, and structurally deeper derivatives markets seem to play a larger role in price formation than narrative-driven retail flows.


    • 2026 looks less like a new cycle and more like continued institutionalization

    • Regulation and stablecoin liquidity are increasingly shaping market structure

    • Perpetual DEXs are steadily gaining market share

    Crypto in 2026, What Breaks, What Scales, What Consolidates

    Crypto in 2026 looks less like a “new cycle” and more like a continuation of the market’s ongoing institutionalization. The direction is moving toward deeper integration with traditional finance, a more mature market structure, and a bigger role for regulated rails. This makes 2026 a key year in which policy decisions and compliance frameworks may become just as market-moving as macro data.

    The most important takeaway is that crypto enters 2026 not as a fresh speculative cycle but as a phase of continued institutional consolidation, with regulatory clarity, stablecoin-driven liquidity, and scaling on-chain derivatives increasingly shaping market structure and capital allocation.

    Growth is spreading across the entire stack, with stablecoins deepening on chain dollar liquidity, perpetual DEXs like Hyperliquid rapidly gaining derivatives market share, and DeFi lending platforms such as Aave scaling into core financial infrastructure.

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    Data Used In This Analysis

    Our industry-leading research is the direct result of combining our proprietary data with world-class in-house experts. Bringing the very best of Kaiko’s people and data together, we unlock the unique insights that form the basis for our discoveries and analysis. We believe in doing so, our data speaks for itself, helping both our clients and the wider industry get a better understanding of the crypto ecosystem, and the evolving trends and patterns in motion at a regional and global scale.

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