The New Year is approaching, ready to get rich? Summary of 12 leading crypto institutions' predictions for 2026

2026 is approaching. How do you view the Web3 or crypto market situation in the new year?

Let’s first see what the leading institutions predict for the crypto market:

2026 Crypto Market | Institutional Forecasts Summary

The Block (2026 Market Forecast)

2026 will be the year when crypto assets truly integrate into global macro asset allocation, with regulatory frameworks gradually being implemented and institutional infrastructure becoming more complete.

Grayscale (2026 Market Forecast) We expect valuations to rise in 2026, marking the end of the so-called “four-year cycle,” which is the theory that the crypto market moves in cyclical patterns. We believe Bitcoin prices are very likely to hit a new all-time high in the first half of this year.

a16z crypto (2026 Market Forecast)

RWA will shift from “tokenization” to “native chain issuance”; AI Agents will have independent on-chain identities and payment capabilities, forming new economic entities.

Galaxy Research (2026 Market Forecast) Bitcoin will reach $250,000 by the end of 2027. 2026 will be a year of transition and volatility, but Bitcoin still has the chance to set new historical highs.

Delphi Digital (2026 Market Forecast) Global central bank policies will continue to diverge, moving toward a unified narrative. The Fed will end QT, providing macroeconomic support for assets. ETFs will reshape structures, and AI Agents will autonomously manage capital and execute DeFi strategies with minimal human intervention.

Bankless (2026 Market Forecast) Ethereum L2 ecosystems will achieve more complete interoperability in 2026, with mature cross-chain applications based on Rollups, and EVM will no longer be a limitation for most applications.

Messari (2026 Market Forecast) 2026 will be the year of “system-level adoption.” Privacy protection, modular architecture, compliance, and DAO governance will become new growth points.

Coinbase (2026 Market Forecast) 2026 will officially bid farewell to the traditional cycle theory driven by sentiment. AI Agents will drive demand for crypto settlement layers, with buybacks and compliance fee sharing becoming mainstream.

Dragonfly Capital (2026 Market Forecast) Institutions will no longer buy into short-term narratives but will focus on long-term allocations. Market structure will become more concentrated, with liquidity gathering around top networks, and L1 and on-chain derivatives will be considered “infrastructure investments.”

Citigroup (2026 Market Forecast) Bitcoin could rise to $143,000 in the next year.

Bitwise (2026 Market Forecast) Correlation with stocks will decline in 2026. If the CLARITY bill passes, ETH and SOL will benefit from regulatory advantages.

ARK Invest (2026 Market Forecast) Crypto assets will fully integrate into the “disruptive innovation” framework. BTC’s risk properties will be strengthened, and blockchain will no longer be just a financial tool but will, together with AI and automation systems, form the underlying infrastructure of the next-generation internet.

After reading these institutional forecasts, to be honest—they are really starting to take it seriously. Not just lip service, but openly discussing ETF, regulation, capital structure, and infrastructure.

Many institutions are no longer emphasizing the “four-year cycle,” with a clear message: this market is no longer driven by retail sentiment but by where the money comes from and whether it can stay long-term. ETFs, TradFi capital, and compliance channels are the key variables determining market heights.

In their view, Bitcoin is no longer just a “gamble,” but gradually becoming a macro asset, long-term allocation, and digital reserve. Directions like RWA and AI Agents are repeatedly mentioned, clearly not short-term trading narratives for a month or two.

If 2024 is the year of ETFs, and 2025 is a year of repeated struggles, then 2026 is likely—the year ordinary people can finally wait for a bullish trend in a market that’s not purely gambling.

Of course, institutions do not guarantee your profits. But at least this time, they are building a table that can help the market last longer.

For those who missed out in 2025, 2026 is really worth waiting for again.