2026-01-05 07:24:02

Regarding the direction of the crypto industry in 2026, many institutions have recently released their own forecast reports. Interestingly, although these reports come from different organizations, they are surprisingly consistent on several key judgments: the era driven by stories is coming to an end, replaced by a more pragmatic phase that emphasizes practical implementation.

We have summarized the 2026 outlooks from six leading institutions and identified several noteworthy structural changes:

**Institutionalization of Bitcoin**
The story of BTC is still ongoing, but the focus has shifted. With the improvement of spot ETFs and the application of DAT dynamic asset allocation strategies, Bitcoin is upgrading from a simple asset class to a standard tool for institutional investment. This indicates there is still significant room for adoption growth.

**Privacy technology becomes a necessity**
As institutional funds flood in on a large scale, their demand for privacy protection naturally rises. Privacy technology is no longer a niche preference for some tech enthusiasts but a necessary infrastructure for safeguarding large transactions.

**New challenges in AI trading**
The scale of AI-to-AI trading is expanding, which is a new phenomenon. But the accompanying question is—how to ensure these AI behaviors are traceable and verifiable? A verifiable framework is becoming increasingly critical.

**Expansion of stablecoin applications**
The story of stablecoins is also evolving. Trading is just the beginning; payments, settlements, and even payroll distributions—these traditional financial scenarios are starting to be penetrated by stablecoins. The scope of applications is significantly increasing.

Overall, the crypto industry is transitioning from an era of guessing and storytelling to one of execution and practical application. This indeed raises the bar for industry participants.

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SerumDegen

· 01-07 13:49

ngl, institutions larping as saviors when they're just here to accumulate and dump on retail... same story different chapter fr

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UnluckyValidator

· 01-07 07:48

The era of storytelling has come to an end, and now it's time to get serious... Hmm, it feels like this time they're really serious. Institutionalization processes are like this, privacy needs follow, stablecoins are penetrating traditional financial scenarios... Sounds great, but how will it be executed? AI trading monitors each other, tracking verifiable frameworks... Can this stuff really be developed? This wave is no longer about storytelling, and it's a bit hard to adapt. It was fun to boast before. The adoption space is large, but I'm just worried it might be another round of cuts.

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ser_ngmi

· 01-07 04:43

The era of storytelling has come to an end, and finally it's time to rely on real skills. The institutionalization process is indeed unavoidable, and the days of BTC being the standard are truly here. Privacy demands are skyrocketing, and with this wave of big capital coming in, we need to be cautious. AI trading AI? Sounds exciting, but who can guarantee it won't go wrong? Stablecoins are the future of payments, I believe that. From storytelling to execution, the barriers are indeed much higher. Wait, does this mean retail investors should just survive? Privacy technology seems to be seriously underestimated. The institutionalization of BTC is progressing smoothly, not as fast as expected. The most realistic expansion for stablecoin scenarios is beyond trading; there's definitely more to do. AI verifiable frameworks... sounds like another round of reshuffling. The storytelling approach is really no longer sustainable; it's too brutal.

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On-ChainDiver

· 01-06 14:13

The era of storytelling is over, and this way of saying it has become tiresome. Wait, institutions really can't escape privacy needs; large transactions definitely need to be concealed. AI in AI trading is a bit scary; can it really track... Stablecoins are meant to go mainstream; this is just the appetizer.

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NeverVoteOnDAO

· 01-05 07:50

The era of stories has come to an end. Now it's all about who can truly deliver results. Institutionalization is indeed the trend, and privacy needs are rising. The penetration of stablecoins into traditional financial scenarios is quite interesting; we need to keep a close eye on payments and settlements.

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SatoshiNotNakamoto

· 01-05 07:48

The era of storytelling is over; now it's all about real skills. The entry of institutions has truly changed the entire game rules. The high level of agreement among various institutions' judgments this time is astonishing. What does it indicate? It shows that the trend is indeed irreversible. Has the demand for privacy become a hard indicator? I didn't see that coming. The technology once used in black markets has now become part of financial infrastructure. BTC upgrading from an asset to a tool sounds good, but how much room for growth is really left is hard to say. Stablecoins integrating into payroll systems might be more challenging than expected. How do banks view this matter? Regarding AI and AI trading, a traceable and verifiable framework sounds like it would require a lot of technical resources to develop. Moving from storytelling to execution, it sounds very pragmatic. But what about retail investors? That's another story altogether.

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BoredStaker

· 01-05 07:43

The era of storytelling has come to an end; this time, it's the real deal. Institutionalization is here, and privacy must keep up; otherwise, how to handle large transactions? AI trading AI, it feels chaotic, but tracking this stuff is really necessary. Honestly, the use cases for stablecoins are becoming more and more extensive, which is how financial tools should look. Execution is king; stories without implementation are all empty. Privacy technology has been pushed to a must-have position; big funds speak differently. BTC has upgraded from a story to a tool; the DAT set indeed looks promising. AI trading with itself... just thinking about it is a bit suspenseful, but a verifiable framework is essential. From storytelling to execution, the track is indeed maturing, and higher standards are real. Stablecoins are penetrating traditional financial scenarios; I hadn't thought of this angle—interesting.

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All-InQueen

· 01-05 07:38

The era of storytelling has come to an end; now it's time for real work. Institutional entry makes privacy a necessity—interesting. AI trading, AI—who the heck is going to regulate this? Using stablecoins as salary payments—I just want to see when ordinary people will be able to use them. Goodbye to the era of storytelling; now let's see who has stronger execution. Wait, after privacy technology becomes popular, will we get repeatedly "cut the leek" (scammed)? Bitcoin is now just a cash machine for institutions; it was about time. Expanding AI-to-AI trading scale... that sounds a bit uncertain. Institutions are leading the way on the stablecoin path; we can only follow and copy. The story is over; now the real test is who has genuine skills.

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zkProofGremlin

· 01-05 07:25

The era of storytelling has come to an end, now it's time to get serious and work hard. Huh? Privacy technology is now a necessity? Then those privacy coins should have a chance to turn things around. AI trading verification is indeed difficult, and I suspect regulators might cause trouble again. Using stablecoins to pay wages? Sounds impressive, but we need to see how it works in practice. Institutional entry is different; it immediately pushes the work forward. The paving of spot ETF pathways makes Bitcoin truly a tool. Honestly, compared to making up stories, I actually prefer this straightforward approach. How long can this wave of institutionalization last? We'll see the true results in 2026. How to balance privacy and traceability? It feels like there's a lot of complexity involved. Is there still room for adoption? That depends on who gets there first. The full penetration of stablecoins into traditional scenarios... if that really happens, it will be revolutionary.

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