What crypto tracks and sectors to watch in 2026?

1. AI and Consumer-Grade Crypto Integration

· Core Opportunity: AI applications that generate real cash flow, such as natural language interfaces for DeFi and AI wealth advisors with asset management capabilities.
· Key Basis: AI Agents will become mainstream economic participants, driving demand for “Know Your Agent” (KYA) identity protocols and high-frequency, small-value payment settlement layers (like x402 protocol). It is expected that a large volume of on-chain interactions will be handled by AI.

2. Stablecoins and RWA (Real-World Assets)

· Core Opportunity: Compliance stablecoins as a payment layer, and projects that bring traditional assets like U.S. Treasuries and credit through tokenization or perpetual contracts on-chain.
· Key Basis: The implementation of the U.S. GENIUS Act provides regulatory certainty, leading to a surge in enterprise B2B payments using stablecoins. RWA is shifting from experimental to commercial, with tokenization of cash instruments like U.S. Treasuries being the current leading use case.

3. Bitcoin Utility Infrastructure

· Core Opportunity: Protocols and tools that expand Bitcoin’s fundamental functions and security, rather than just issuing new assets on top of it.
· Key Basis: Institutional interest in Bitcoin is shifting from simple ETF exposure to its practical value as a secure settlement layer. VC investment logic is moving toward building “infrastructure” that enhances Bitcoin’s utility.

4. On-Chain Investment Platforms for Retail Investors

· Core Opportunity: Simplify Web3 complexity and create a one-stop “financial super app” that integrates investment, payments, and other functions.
· Key Basis: The market needs user-friendly, compliant platforms capable of supporting large-scale users. These platforms aim to bridge on-chain and off-chain gaps, allowing users to access crypto services without understanding complex concepts like private keys—crucial for mass adoption.

Conclusion:
In summary, the opportunities in 2026 lie in connecting crypto with the real world, solving efficiency issues, and aligning with regulatory trends. The market will place greater emphasis on actual revenue, user base, and clear compliance pathways, rather than just narratives!