If the crypto market were to make New Year’s resolutions, in 2026 it would decide to grow up once and for all. The industry is moving away from hype-driven slogans in favor of steady, diligent work aimed at total transformation.

DeFi will become a complex quest, private networks will break into the mainstream, and projects with practical value will push out the dreamers with their "easy x's."

How will this coexist with the bloodsucking market makers and the search for loopholes under the regulator's club? Will we witness bold victories or shocking failures?

ForkLog has gathered expert predictions so you can peek into the future without stepping away from your Olivier salad. Read to the end to find out the ceiling price for Bitcoin in the new year and whether it’s true that risk-free returns have come to an end.

Upcoming Market Trends and Anti-Trends

Sergey Mendeleev, CEO of Exved:

I continue to emphasize the deep connection between cryptocurrencies and the global economy, although the crusade of institutional giants against Strategy will influence Bitcoin's price behavior, especially in the short term in January. Unfortunately, there is little optimism for long positions. Most likely, Michael Saylor and similar companies will no longer be able to buy Bitcoin and Ethereum on a large scale, and whether JPMorgan and BlackRock will continue to do so with the same enthusiasm remains to be seen.

The main question, of course, lies in U.S. financial policy and the decisions of the Federal Reserve. Will the anticipated pause in rate cuts hold, or will it drop closer to 2% in 2026? What are the prospects for stimulating the market through various QE programs? In this regard, for cryptocurrency holders, the worse the economy performs, the better. And if [U.S. President Donald] Trump fulfills his promise and starts distributing "helicopter money" from tariff increases before the Congressional elections, we might see a new ATH for Bitcoin next year.

Overall, I do not expect a critically deep correction; whether Bitcoin drops to $74,000 or $60,000 is not that important — it will rise again, if not in 2026, then the following year. In general, if you have Bitcoin, hold onto it; if not, look for opportunities to buy on dips. Your children will thank you.

The third factor is, of course, the situation with the AI bubble and the question of its existence. If everything remains stable, the global economy will continue to grow, with S&P indices exceeding 7000. But if not, a serious correction may occur in global markets, traditionally impacting cryptocurrency prices and pushing total capitalization below $2 trillion.

Vladimir Menaskop, Web3 Entrepreneur:

Technological Trends for 2026:

  1. ZKP — as fundamental as blockchain itself: without it, nothing will happen.
  2. Oracles 2.0 — fast, omnichain, and focused on decentralization.
  3. Storage optimization and decentralization (in this sense, Arweave, Filecoin, and others remain promising).
  4. Building global distributed computers requires not only storage but also memory and other components, making this vector inevitable in the evolutionary branch.
  5. A direct descendant of this is the development of AI projects tied to resource leasing.
  6. Extremely important is DePin in a broad sense: datasets, storage, resource leasing.
  7. Optimization of DAG, without which neither L2 nor competitive solutions will develop, leaving us stuck in an endless flow of uniform data.

Economic Trends:

  1. Tokenomics was perceived by projects as a pretty table and a graph, but 2025 showed that this is not the case, and now I expect large-scale changes in this direction.
  2. Creation of mutual insurance funds and similar instruments — another necessary takeaway from the hacks of 2025.
  3. Linking offline and online. While the old approach of "foundation + DAO" works, it is far from the only and certainly not the most effective.
  4. Moving away from conservative governance models towards more flexible solutions, where capital is just one element of governance, the second being reputation, and the third being the time and activity of the participant.
  5. VE-tokenomics is a gold mine, but it also needs modernization. An example is the merger of AERO and VELO.
  6. "Bribes" have already embedded themselves in VE-tokenomics but can also progress independently, especially against the backdrop of AI mechanics.
  7. Tokenization will be everywhere: if your business is not tokenized, it simply does not exist. This is the foundation of the economy of the future.

Organizational Trends:

  1. The community has finally split: enthusiasts on one side, institutions on the other, and between them are neophytes ("hamsters"), speculators, traders, and others. This division will only intensify.
  2. DAOs have gone "under the hood," and even DeepDAO could not withstand this: it’s too low-margin a field. But without DAOs, there’s no way — they are the basis of any decentralized project.
  3. The community of speculators has also become quite diverse: holders of sybil farms, farming droppers, airdrop hunters, and others. Therefore, next year their upheavals will only increase, as seen with the loss of yield from drops and testnets.
  4. A lot depends on liquidity providers: on one hand, this is already a "profession" and a business, but on the other hand, too many large players have entered the market, and they will try to dictate their rules.
  5. Community management tools are also constantly changing: Discord is bursting at the seams, Telegram has played with TON, and Farcaster has completely moved to wallets. It’s quite possible that 2026-2028 will bring us something new in both already created and yet undeveloped areas.
  6. Communities are increasingly prone to niche-ification, making it difficult to find real traffic: quest platforms and similar give shilling but not substance; advertising on Google and similar is ineffective, while SMM only works when the mechanism is already running. Here, the transition from shilling to something more fundamental is crucial.
  7. Key opinion leaders in the industry have largely discredited themselves, leading people to increasingly turn to real authorities: developers, system architects. I believe this will become even more noticeable, although influencers will not disappear.

Anti-Trends:

  1. The Web 3.0 & Web3 (WW3) industry is becoming mainstream, so the issues of social hacks and vector attacks will only increase.
  2. Speculators are not interested in low-margin industries, so they are migrating to the AI segment and others — ultimately, this is not so bad.
  3. The crypto industry wants to be "white and fluffy," but in reality, it is increasingly subordinating itself to states and corporations: most forget the principles of cryptopunk and just "make money." This is the worst thing that could happen, but it is inevitable. This anti-trend can only be countered with enthusiasm and education, and funds obtained from WW3 should at least partially be directed towards developing neophytes, as this group is subject to the highest risks and influences.
  4. Over the past five years, a lot of technological, economic, and legal copying has accumulated. Those who understand that uniqueness is a native property of WW3 will win.
  5. There has been a lot of blatant flirting with DAT mechanics and bets on regulated markets: this is a global setup, and it will not work out as many expect, because there are more unknowns in it than it seems.
  6. Time is now working against enthusiasts: it was never on our side, but now standing still is not an option — we must keep moving. The anti-trend here is that most people only need understandable templates for earning and distribution. But this ultimately slows everyone down.
  7. The main anti-trend is disbelief in altcoins: Bitcoin has become a narrative and a thing in itself, but this is just centralization in a new guise. If altcoins do not develop, we will forever lose decentralization.

Richard Teng, Co-CEO of Binance:

By 2026, it has become clear: the digital asset industry is entering a new, key stage. It is now defined not only by growth but also by deep integration into the global financial system and the formation of a more mature market dynamic.

The past year has revealed a fundamental shift in the profile of Bitcoin holders, clearly showing the changing market landscape. As of December 2025, the volume of BTC on exchanges has dropped to its lowest level in five years — 2.94 million BTC, while the volume held by public companies and Bitcoin ETFs continues to grow and now exceeds 2.5 million BTC. The migration from retail to institutional investors is not just dry statistics. It is a turning point that could potentially reduce volatility, smooth speculative price fluctuations, and lessen the depth and duration of future bear markets. In other words, we may gradually transition to less pronounced cycles, corresponding to a more stable and mature asset class.

This shift is part of a broader transformation we are currently undergoing. Digital assets are evolving from speculative mechanics to strategic financial instruments. Already, more than 200 public companies hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets, demonstrating growing confidence in cryptocurrency as a means of diversification and long-term value preservation. A similar trend is observed at Binance. We have recorded a 14% increase in the number of institutional users and a 13% increase in institutional trading volume compared to last year. In 2026, we expect this trend to accelerate: corporate budgets will diversify not only into BTC and ETH but also into some altcoins, while governments and public institutions will become even more actively involved through regulatory frameworks and pilot programs.

The evolving regulatory environment will gradually shift asset valuations towards fundamental factors: real practical utility, sustainable economies, and compliance. This is especially important for altcoins, which have historically exhibited higher volatility.

We also expect further growth in regulated access channels to digital assets, such as ETFs, which provide safer and more accessible entry points for investors beyond Bitcoin. Stablecoins are proving their value not only as payment instruments but also as important drivers of financial inclusion. In 2025, the market capitalization of "stablecoins" exceeded $300 billion, largely due to clearer regulations, such as the GENIUS Act in the U.S.

Technological innovations will also remain a key driver of the industry. The convergence of artificial intelligence and blockchain is creating a smarter and safer financial infrastructure. These two technologies will form the backbone of the future for every economic subsector. At Binance, AI is already widely integrated to enhance the efficiency and security of the platform. It has helped our users prevent millions in losses and will play an even more significant role in personalizing user experience, enhancing compliance, and protecting the ecosystem in the future.

We are convinced that the next chapter of the crypto industry will be characterized by meaningful adoption, trust, and long-term impact. When innovation is combined with responsibility, digital assets become an integral part of everyday finance.

Global Cryptocurrency Regulation

Vladimir Menaskop, Web3 Entrepreneur:

Governments are tightening regulations on stablecoins and other assets, but this can be used for good: in particular, creating meta-stables that fall outside the regulatory zone; seeking innovations in algorithmic tools that are still in their infancy.

Acts like MiCA in the EU or laws in the U.S. are examples of state differentiation, so their contradictions can and should be leveraged within the crypto offshore.

At the same time, there will always be assets that are less regulated by any given state: whether it’s NFT 2.0 or other programmable assets, tokenized delta-neutral strategies.

Classes of digital assets are evolving: we had native tokens (coins), then fungible and non-fungible tokens, semi-fungible, synthetic, programmable, and others. Therefore, it is important to determine the legal status of the assets you are working with: many of them exist only in the crypto offshore.

As a result, the influence of platforms like Chainalysis will increase, AML checks will expand (both "on the fly" and deferred) and their significance for various services.

The RWA segment will require special regulation, and it will be much stricter than the standard DeFi approach.

Therefore, I recommend keeping an eye on cases involving Tornado Cash, Samurai Wallet, and similar — all the answers lie there.

Regulatory risks have been, are, and will be. What should projects do for self-protection:

  • create and develop real DAOs, not just declarations, as was the case with bZx and others;
  • expand the boundaries of tokenomics and focus on token turnover rather than one-time distribution;
  • work on documentation before, not after, token implementation;
  • develop the community without relying on perpetual shilling marketing;
  • study the practices of the SEC and other regulators, without hoping for the loyalty of a specific administration in a specific country;
  • create truly global solutions;
  • sacrifice the recognizability of founders in favor of open, anonymous, and decentralized solutions.

The world has divided into zones, and the baseline runs between those who have bet on CBDCs (China, Iran, Russia, South Korea, and others) and stablecoins (primarily the U.S.). Because of this confrontation, there are always loopholes in legislation that can be exploited for good.

However, tying to a legal entity seems like a good practice — until you face the reality where the UAE is not so loyal, the U.S. is not always kind, Russia changes requirements year by year, and China is ready to ban even what has not yet been born.

Therefore, I recommend all market participants:

  • create as many clean but anonymous wallets as possible;
  • learn to apply private DeFi as quickly as possible;
  • thoroughly study tax legislation and legally optimize taxes on crypto assets.

Regulation in Russia

Andrey Tugarin, Founder of GMT Legal:

In 2026, mandatory licensing for cryptocurrency exchanges and exchangers will be introduced in Russia, and by 2027, administrative and criminal liability will arise for providing such services without a license.

The corresponding roadmap, and later a concept have been presented by the Bank of Russia, which has adhered to conservative and prohibitive views on cryptocurrency circulation within the country for five years.

There are several reasons for this twist from the Central Bank. Russia is one of the few countries in the CIS that still lacks regulation in the sector of cryptocurrency circulation organization.

The legal status of stablecoins remains undefined. The only method for Russian users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies is currently P2P, where there is a huge amount of fraud and dirty finance. The consequence is mass blocking based on federal laws 115 and 161.

Although the text of the bill is not yet available, the requirements for exchangers and exchanges to obtain a license can already be predicted:

  • the presence of a registered legal entity in Russia;
  • the presence of a charter capital;
  • mandatory user identification with the retention of personal data according to Russian laws;
  • implementation of all necessary measures to comply with AML/FT;
  • the presence of an AML officer;
  • mandatory digital compliance to prevent illegal cryptocurrencies from circulating in Russia;
  • technical requirements for trading platforms owned by exchanges and exchangers.

With a 99% probability, the issuance of licenses and the maintenance of the corresponding register will be under the jurisdiction of the Central Bank of Russia.

It can also be predicted that the regulator plans to introduce liability in 2027 for providing crypto exchange and crypto exchange services without a license. The fine for administrative offenses for individual entrepreneurs will range from 400,000 to 600,000 rubles, and for legal entities — from 1 million to 2 million rubles. Attempts to introduce this norm were made last summer by the Ministry of Digital Development.

The legislation regarding criminal liability is expected to be refined, but there is a high probability that the regulator will propose to include imprisonment and confiscation of cryptocurrencies from illegal exchanges and exchangers.

Additionally, in 2026, new definitions are expected to emerge, including those covering stablecoins. This will allow for the correct determination of the tax base when conducting transactions with such assets and establish which transactions can be conducted and which cannot.

What does this mean for the market and its participants? Those who hold an "exchange" on their website, act as organizers of a P2P platform, or systematically work with drop cards and mass transfers will face a choice in 2026:

  • to go for licensing — change corporate structure, "whiten" turnover, establish KYC/AML, technical infrastructure, and digital compliance;
  • to exit the Russian jurisdiction — shut down or move the business to a foreign jurisdiction, ceasing to work with Russian users.

Regulation in Ukraine

Kyrill Khomyakov, Head of Binance in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Africa:

The draft law "On Virtual Asset Markets" is of fundamental importance for Ukraine, which is why an unprecedented number of amendments — about 750 pages from various members of parliament — have been submitted. Now the relevant committee must convene, review them in detail, and determine which are advisable to adopt and which to reject.

In our view, among the proposals, there are both useful and constructive ones, as well as outright failures, and in some cases, potentially harmful ones. The key task now is to protect the concept of the draft law and make it more flexible and feasible in practice, rather than overly complex and practically unimplementable for both businesses and users.

It is crucial to preserve several basic positions:

  • to ensure a reasonable and effective tax rate;
  • to avoid obligations for crypto exchanges to transfer users' personal data, as otherwise, the market simply will not function;
  • to build a regulatory model that minimizes the risks of manipulation and corruption, particularly in the licensing sphere.

Given the situation in Ukraine, there is a high probability that the vote on the draft law will be delayed. If the controlling body is not directly defined in the text of the law, which is currently a likely scenario, it will be appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers. After that, it will be necessary to develop and adopt the necessary subordinate regulatory framework before the actual launch of regulation.

Based on current realities, the most optimistic scenario is the beginning of the licensing process in the third to fourth quarter.

Stablecoins

Dmitry Machikhin, BitOK:

In 2025, stablecoin regulation was updated in several jurisdictions (MiCA in the EU, GENIUS Act in the U.S., proposals in the UK, regimes in Singapore and Hong Kong), marking a turning point in the history of this type of asset.

The key practical consequences for users and businesses are as follows:

  1. Introduction of KYC/AML at the level of traditional fiat payment providers or even stricter.
  2. On-chain analytics and risk scoring of wallets becoming standard.
  3. Constant confirmations of reserves and requirements for capital and risk management.
  4. The convenience of instant payments and transfers is accompanied by increased regulatory scrutiny. AML procedures serve not only reporting purposes but primarily ensure risk monitoring and protect businesses from associations with illegal crypto activity.
  5. Non-dollar stablecoins are also becoming a trend. For example, the A7A5 coin, which reached a capitalization of $0.5 billion in less than a year, USDKG from Kyrgyzstan, and the offshore stablecoin AxCNH pegged to the yuan in Kazakhstan.

In 2026, this trend will intensify, and it does not resemble a temporary hype. Rather, it is the very bridge between TradFi and cryptocurrency, which will become the best case for tokenization.

Mining

Alex Petrov, Co-founder of Hyperfusion:

The Bitcoin mining industry is on the brink of a massive transformation. The year 2026 promises to be a period when fierce competition for energy, regulatory pressure, accumulation of the first cryptocurrency on the balance sheets of states and large companies, and the development of AI data centers will fundamentally reshape the global mining landscape.

Peak Hashrate and Major Trends

The Bitcoin network continues to demonstrate explosive growth in power. Since the start of mining in 2009, engineering optimizations have reduced energy consumption by 1 billion times — from 16MJ/Gh to 12J/Th, increasing efficiency by more than 20 billion times — from 10Mh/s to 580Th/s (on the Bitmain Antminer S23 Hydro). This is a massive evolution driven by pure mathematics and competition.

In spring 2025, the network's hashrate first exceeded 1000 EH/s, doubling the figure within a year. If this trend continues, I wouldn’t be surprised if by the end of 2026 the industry surpasses the threshold of 1250-1350 EH/s. This growth will be driven not only by new ASIC devices but also by states and companies that, in addition to accumulating Bitcoin on their balance sheets, will want a share of mining — which is a logical step for security.

Another trend defining the industry in 2026 is the increasing competition for energy with data centers for AI needs. This is already pushing the industry into regions with "stranded" generation or weak infrastructure, where large tech companies are reluctant to operate. The key skill becomes "energy arbitrage" — flexible operation during low tariff periods and participation in grid stabilization programs (Demand Response), which is a positive aspect for companies and end consumers.

Regulators may still exert pressure on pools and mining companies, influencing the terms of hosting contracts and introducing additional taxation. These are some of the vulnerabilities that cause migrations in the industry.

The share of renewable energy sources in global mining exceeded 50%. In 2026, this factor will be critically important for access to capital and survival amid tightening regulation, especially in the EU and the U.S.

Another trend is mining equipment for home use. In Europe and Canada, the market for companies offering heating and hot water systems based on such devices is growing, which helps reduce electricity bills.

In the EU, under MiCA, strict reporting requirements for energy consumption and carbon footprint will continue to be implemented, creating additional barriers for miners.

Miner Migration

2026 will be a year of targeted but not mass migration. Under pressure from rising electricity prices, stringent regulation, and competition with AI in traditional hubs (e.g., parts of the U.S.), miners will have to relocate.

Migration will be directed to regions with:

  • excess "stranded" generation, poorly connected to common grids;
  • political stability and friendly or neutral regulation;
  • access to cheap renewable energy (geothermal and hydro energy).

CIS countries, Northern Europe, Latin America, and Oceania remain in focus. Miners, as "flexible" consumers, can become ideal partners for stabilizing grids in such regions.

Industry Leaders

Consolidation will continue. Companies that can diversify risks, optimize, and respond faster than others will survive and strengthen their positions.

The final outcome of 2026 will be further division of the industry into a highly professional, capital-intensive sector and niche, flexible mining models. Success will be determined not only by the efficiency of hardware but also by the quality of energy contracts, the ability to adapt to the macro environment, and establishing constructive dialogue with regulators.

Key players to watch in 2026 include:

  1. Public companies: Cipher Mining (CIFR), Bitfarms (BITF), IREN, Hut 8, and Core Scientific (CORZ). Their strength lies in scale, access to public capital markets, and diversification strategies (as in the case of CIFR and CORZ, which are developing AI directions).
  2. Vertically integrated operators: companies that control the entire chain — from generation or energy contract to hosting and pooling. This gives them a critical advantage in cost and sustainability.
  3. Financial and infrastructure giants: Galaxy Digital (GLXY) or Strategy (MSTR). They are not miners in the purest sense but are central figures in the ecosystem due to their activities (investment, Bitcoin custody, service provision).
  4. Energy companies, such as Kinder Morgan (KMI), play a key role as resource suppliers.

DeFi

Vladimir Menaskop, Web3 Entrepreneur:

In 2026, there will be more growth points for DeFi than ever. Let me highlight the most interesting ones.

ZKP

Technologically, we have reached a breakthrough zone, and we can expect exponential growth in areas: from ZKP-KYC procedures to ZKP at the L1 implementation level. This is not just about privacy and other perks, but also about reducing fees, speed, and ultimately compactness.

Private DeFi

The past year has proven the viability of the trend of anonymous and private cryptocurrencies. The approaches of Monero, Zcash, and Mina will continue to evolve within a much larger ecosystem and become its foundation. Just as much will be moved to EVM in L2/L3.

Cross-chain 2.0 and Stablecoins

Old multi-chain and cross-chain approaches have shifted to an omnichain strategy: CCTP protocol from USDc, USDt0, and similar.

Cross-chain liquidity is becoming a necessity. It will begin to transform into a single melting pot, from which 402-standard, Uniswap v4 with their hooks, innovative solutions from Chainlink and LayerZero have already emerged.

Nativism

The omnichain and cross-chain 2.0 approaches require that collateral be both secure and flexible, which is only possible within the chains themselves. Therefore, in 2026, there is a chance that native staking will turn into native collateral deposits.

Protocols with their own liquidity (Protocol-Owned Liquidity) are an attempt to combine cross-chain and nativism in one bottle.

RWA: Institutionalization and Tokenization

This segment will dynamically evolve, increasing the number and complexity of tools. Consequently, a niche for national stablecoins and related assets (like CFA in Russia) will inevitably emerge.

The second thread of evolution is collateral-free loans based on past payment history, on-chain data, and other information. In this sense, AI will become an indispensable assistant for platforms, and solutions like XRP will serve as patterns for direct and rapid implementations.

Neobanks

The super-narrative of the future is cash flow and profit by any means. Institutions and VCs will develop schemes where the flow of funds is transparent, understandable, and predictable.

New Derivatives

The consequence of the above will be a boom in derivative markets, including hashrate tokenization, ETFs with staking functions, and Web3 indexes. In addition to structured products for institutions and programmable assets for regular players, new assets will emerge in the segments of AI, RWA, ReFi, and CeDeFi. The integration of prediction markets with delta-neutral and other strategies is inevitable.

It is important that the DeFi approach is maintained and that collateral is visible and understandable; otherwise, the collapse of any overlays is inevitable.

Other Prospects

In 2026, DeFi practices in search of yield will likely focus on value averaging and other more advanced mechanics. Consequently, we can expect restructuring in the markets of perp-DEX and AMM, lending, as there are already visible leaders and the focus is on fierce competition optimization.

The biggest problem lies with market makers and their connection to CEX — they are the main enemies of DeFi: they manipulate, dump, knock out liquidity, and engage in other misdeeds. I expect that their confrontation with regulators will lead to a real bloody harvest and a transition to strict ultimatums. As a consequence, decentralized market makers will develop.

In DeFAI, breakthroughs in capital optimization, accounting systems, and rebalancing are possible. However, I would not expect the autonomy of AI agents in generating passive income in the next three years. The segment will face an increasing number of attack vectors, creating complications with approvals and delegations at the level of EIP-7702. Although the trend of automated and autonomous liquidity will not disappear, it will be as risky as farming in the early 2020s.

Privacy

Andrey Velikiy, Founder of Allbridge:

The ZK solutions market will move towards compliant privacy, similar to the banking environment in traditional finance. The end recipient will not see how much money a user has, who they are paying, and how much, but if necessary, for example, in the case of a police request, services will be able to trace that transaction.

It is likely that this will be a more elegant solution than what is currently offered by, for example, Zcash. Firstly, there is no exit to stablecoins. Secondly, Zcash has two types of addresses — transparent and protected — and privacy is achieved only in payments between two protected addresses. In my view, this is a clumsy solution. One could move towards a solution like Monero, where all transactions are protected, but then issues with risk scoring and delisting XMR from exchanges arise. Therefore, I lean towards the idea that in 2026 we will see a market for compliant privacy payments on stablecoins.

The most viable monetization model for the private transaction sector in 2026 will remain purely transactional (transaction fees).

I believe ZK will become a mandatory element of Web3. There are many reasons why people want to protect their data, starting with physical safety. And in general, privacy is a fundamental human right, and ZK provides a sufficiently convenient toolkit for this.

AI and Robotics

Sergey Lonshakov, Project Architect of "Robotomy":

2026 is a very interesting year in the context of robots and artificial intelligence. Currently, advancements in AI have shifted the ideas of humanoid robots from near-zero points; these robots are, in turn, the main universal executive mechanisms. Everything a person can do, theoretically, a robot can do too.

Based on scientific materials that engineers at Tesla and Figure work with, and a little practice with the humanoid robot Unitree, I can formulate expectations as follows.

Figure AI focuses on already proven architecture with "multiple brain lobes" of the robot (in fact, there are currently two). This makes the mechanisms a bit more adaptable to tasks, although their current application at the BMW factory is functionally very limited — a rather simple assembly stage in one of the workshops. We’ll see if they can further develop their approach. I like the analogy with how the human brain is structured: we also have brain lobes, but in fact, it is the same entity.

The second direction that Tesla Bot seems to be heading towards is end-to-end learning. For example, the Unitree robot needs to change its "equipment" or behavior model, successfully assembled based on cloud modeling. End-to-end is a way to make the robot universal "on the fly." So far, Elon Musk's development shows results at the level of simple operations within Tesla factories.

The third direction is simple modernization of productions. I think Chinese manufacturers, whose number will only increase, will set the volume, starting with the domestic market. We expect to see hundreds of strange robots on AliExpress that either work or don’t. Everything heavily depends on open software development.

It’s worth keeping an eye on Boston Dynamics — the oldest company in humanoid robotics, owned by Hyundai. Their prototypes are already being tested in factories in South Korea.

In summary: at best, we can expect the opening of many factories with humanoid robots around the world. And perhaps there will be a small leap forward for home use, but a practical option for home will not appear until 2027. In other words, for robots in our kitchens, a real scientific breakthrough is needed, while for factories, almost ready solutions already exist.

Main Cyber Threats

Experts from F6:

The main trend in cyber incidents in 2025 is the exploitation of loud brands, information events, and memes. In the new year, we predict the development of cyber scams based on current information events. We can expect an increase in the number of fake crypto projects, "government programs," and meme tokens created to attract victims in the shortest time.

Combined attack schemes will intensify. Social engineering will increasingly be combined with the use of malicious drainers and phishing pages, including in the ecosystems of popular services and messengers.

A high proportion of attacks using miners will persist. Concealed, modular families of miners will continue to improve, integrating into legitimate processes to evade detection.

Criminals will focus on quick monetization. The vector will shift towards attacks that allow for rapid financial gain — stealing seed phrases, compromising crypto wallets, substituting exchange services, and other direct theft schemes.

Maxim Sizykh, CTO of Envelop:

Recently, there have been many failures in infrastructure projects on the internet, such as incidents with Cloudflare, AWS, and the hack of Node repositories.

This creates additional threats for the crypto industry, as Web3 is largely based on Web2. Consequently, delays in the operation of Oracles of various kinds are possible, including price feed data. This could lead to the liquidation of positions in lending protocols.

I also do not rule out failures/hacks in the operation of off-chain components of L2 networks, such as bridges.

Global Politics and Economic Turmoil

Alex Momot, CEO of Peanut Trade:

Possible Scenarios

The key risk that could potentially have the greatest impact on capital movement in cryptocurrencies in 2026 is the ongoing threat of military conflict between China and Taiwan. A number of analysts consider this scenario quite likely, and its realization would have extremely severe consequences for the global economy and, consequently, for the Web3 market.

In my opinion, the likelihood of such developments remains low: Beijing traditionally avoids unequivocal, harsh steps that close off alternative opportunities.

The second significant factor is related to Europe, which may face new risks amid declining military support from the U.S. and a possible truce or peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. This scenario is less likely to lead to a global escalation, but compared to the potential developments surrounding Taiwan, its likelihood is higher, and the economic consequences for the region could be quite significant.

At the same time, there are a number of intermediate scenarios where even after a formal peace, a tense standoff remains: economic blockades, sanctions pressure, and hybrid forms of conflict. In such a case, direct military escalation can be avoided, and the situation will remain relatively stable.

Overall, the most likely scenario for 2026 is the absence of large-scale upheavals in these two regions. The most serious changes are likely to occur more in the intangible realm: this is the transformation of the global order and the changing role of the U.S. The new American doctrine effectively implies a rejection of the previous leadership model within NATO and a shifting of responsibility for Europe’s security onto itself.

These processes create delayed risks. Most likely, they will begin to fully materialize in the coming years, but on the horizon of 2026, they are unlikely to occur.

Cryptocurrencies as a Defensive Asset

In 2026, cryptocurrencies are unlikely to become a full-fledged defensive asset, although the attitude towards them from large funds and institutional investors has noticeably softened. Participation in crypto assets at the level of a few percent of the portfolio is considered acceptable, but this primarily concerns Bitcoin and, to a lesser extent, Ethereum and some large networks.

Institutional capital is entering the market selectively and concentrating in regulated products and centralized channels, hardly touching DEX, meme tokens, and small projects. This strengthens the divide between the institutional segment of the crypto market and the high-risk retail ecosystem.

The growth of participation from major players will continue, but its pace will remain slow by Web3 standards. In the short term, pricing will still be determined by the internal logic of the crypto market and global liquidity. As a result, cryptocurrencies will retain their status as a risky asset, despite the gradual institutionalization of certain segments.

Debt and Banking Crises

In the near term, including 2026, the emergence of a clearly expressed global debt or banking crisis in key economies is unlikely. The current situation indicates more the presence of prolonged structural imbalances than the risk of a sharp systemic collapse.

Such distortions are observed in China, Russia, and several other countries. China continues to smooth over internal problems through massive stimulus and record trade surpluses. The Russian economy remains functional under sanctions but shows a gradual deterioration in macro indicators without signs of acute crisis. In several developing countries, including Argentina, economic and currency restrictions are compensated by the adaptation of the population and the active use of digital payment tools.

The likelihood of a crisis capable of radically changing the global financial system in 2026 remains low. Individual economies will continue to move along a downward trajectory, while Ukraine will maintain access to significant external financial support from Europe.

The latter will likely cover this financial burden through additional debt and moderate cuts in social spending, which may lead to political changes but will not trigger a pan-European or global crisis.

Against this backdrop, interest from institutional players in stablecoins, DeFi, and alternative financial systems as more flexible tools for cross-border settlements is growing. This is due to the easing of regulations and the expansion of space for experimentation, rather than a reaction to an acute global crisis.

Bitcoin and Other Coin Prices

Disclaimer

The current analysis does not constitute trading advice and is a private opinion of the surveyed expert. ForkLog is not responsible for the results of actions that may arise from the use of recommendations from the presented reviews.

Vladimir Cohen, Trader:

Bitcoin and Ethereum

In the base scenario for 2026, I expect Bitcoin and Ethereum to set new historical highs. The main drivers for this are the growth of the money supply, the easing of the Fed's policy, the exit of speculative capital from precious metals, and partial rotation from the overheated tech sector. The adoption and implementation of the CLARITY Act will instill confidence in funds and investors who were previously wary of investing in crypto assets.

The price factor is also important. At current levels, from a risk-reward perspective, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana are much more attractive for investment than three months ago.

And there are hopes for the formation of a strategic reserve of crypto assets in the U.S., which could stimulate growth again if concrete steps are taken in this direction.

We will surely see high volatility this winter, as liquidity will tighten after Christmas. There are grounds to believe that Bitcoin will settle above $100,000 in January. However, if gold and silver continue to rise steadily, the first cryptocurrency will remain in the range of $80,000–105,000.

In May, [U.S. Fed Chair] Jerome Powell will resign, and he will likely be replaced by a Trump appointee who will pursue a policy of quantitative easing. This will boost risk assets, including cryptocurrencies. On the expectations of this event, Bitcoin may exceed $120,000, and Ethereum $4,500.

The launch of Staked Ethereum ETFs by BlackRock and other funds will resume capital inflows. I believe Ethereum will show growth relative to Bitcoin already in the first quarter of 2026.

In April-May, Ethereum may set a new ATH and trade in the range of $4,800–$6,200, while BTC will be at $120,000–$140,000.

In the fall, in the base scenario, Bitcoin will reach $150,000, while the second-largest cryptocurrency will be at $6,000–$7,000.

Growth of Ethereum to $7,500–$10,000 is possible in the third quarter of 2026, provided that high inflows into ETFs and an increase in stablecoin issuance on Ethereum are maintained.

At the same time, there will surely be high volatility throughout the year, especially in the first half. Much of this is related to instability in the stock market due to global repositioning concerning the Japanese yen.

Political risks remain on par with the effects of posts and statements from Trump. What I am sure of before the midterm elections is that we will see liquidity inflows and a reduction in Fed rates.

Promising Altcoins

The strongest bases are with the following assets:

  • Chainlink — I consider it the best coin for integration with TradFi. For stable growth, an increase in buybacks and greater network activity are needed; the foundation for this is already laid. Possible highs — $30–$50;
  • Solana. Strong marketing has solidified its positioning in the U.S. as the fastest and cheapest blockchain. The main problem is inflation and lack of stable profits. The base scenario for the first half of the year — $200–$320 with further growth potential;
  • XRP shows the most stable inflows into crypto ETFs: $1 billion in a month — the best dynamics among all. Founders have enormous financial and administrative resources (they have gotten close to the Trump administration). Good growth potential up to $3–$5 in the first half of 2026;
  • Stellar — real utility in cross-border payments, RWA, and CBDC. With proper marketing, the coin could reach $0.8–$1.

Exchange tokens have strong communities but carry risks due to regulation, hacks, and bankruptcies:

  • BNB with a possible rise to $1,450–$1,600;
  • Hyperliquid has economic incentives but is pressured by unlocks. Projected maximum — $45–$76;
  • Mantle.

Other coins with potential: Bittensor, Hyperlane, Sui, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Babylon, Kite, Worldcoin, Jupiter, Oraichain, and Ondo.