How to Discover New Wealth Opportunities? Renowned Independent Crypto Analyst Releases Top 10 Predictions for 2026

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Author: Miles Deutscher

Translation: Jiahui, ChainCatcher

In this article, I will break down my top 10 cryptocurrency predictions for 2026 in detail. This includes my price forecast for $BTC , top altcoin narratives, the prospects of crypto combined with AI, and more. This is an exercise I do every year, and it really helps me calibrate my direction for the new year. Even if you disagree with all the predictions here, I hope it sparks your thinking and prompts you to make your own list so you're prepared to capture the biggest upside in 2026.

10. Prediction Market Trading Volume Grows 5x

Since January 2025, prediction market trading volume has increased by about 10 times. I believe this trend will continue, and in 2026, we will see at least one month where trading volume reaches 5 times the current level. A 5x increase in current trading volume would be approximately $95 billion per month. Another factor to consider is the rise of “adjacent protocols” built on prediction markets. For example, @intodotspace is building the first leveraged prediction market. This trend will further amplify trading volume.

9. Explosion in Perpetual Contracts Trading for Stocks/Metals

The argument here is simple: we will continue to see the expansion of perpetual contracts in mainstream sectors — not just limited to crypto tokens trading. 2025 is the year when perpetual futures technology explodes on the crypto track — instant settlement, excellent UI/UX, decentralization, etc. Additionally, gold/metals/stocks are in a fierce bull market. Typically, when a cycle nears its peak, people chase returns further down the risk curve (perpetual contracts are very suitable for benefiting from small caps/emerging markets).

In many cases, accessing stocks/gold via crypto is easier and faster than through traditional finance (TradFi) channels. Due to this synergistic effect, I believe we will see explosive growth in stock/metals trading on perpetual DEXs, and perpetual contract trading will be about much more than just crypto token volume.

8. The “Renaissance” of ICOs Continues

Due to significant changes in the regulatory environment, the public now has unprecedented opportunities to participate in token sales. ICO participation is at an all-time high, and I expect this overall upward trend to continue. If you're interested in profiting from ICOs, I recently published a comprehensive thread guide and a free Notion template to help you stay organized in this space — you can check it out below.

7. Altcoins with Strong Revenue Models Will Prevail

Market sentiment has clearly shifted to favor real businesses over mere speculation and hype. Of course, the latter will always have a place in the market, but more and more investors (big and small) are looking for genuine “flywheels” to support token prices (amidst a sea of token dilution).

I believe protocols that generate real revenue will continue to dominate. Simply put, protocols with actual income mechanisms will perform better than those without. Pay attention to companies/projects/teams that are actually generating revenue.

6. RWA Will Experience the Second Largest Boom Year in History

I’d love to say RWA (Real-World Assets) will have the biggest year ever. However, technically, surpassing the $14 billion growth of 2025 will be difficult. I believe liquidity will continue to flow into this sector, making 2026 another bumper year, though the percentage growth may be smaller than in 2025. The year could bring many yield/tokenization opportunities and a large number of altcoin trading setups in this space.

5. Digital Banks (Neobanks) Become the Most Exponentially Growing Sector in Crypto

It feels like we’ve finally reached a turning point in crypto/stablecoin banking. Infrastructure has finally caught up with demand, and we’re seeing explosive adoption of many products. The ability to easily exchange crypto and fiat in both directions is an urgently needed solution. This sector has the largest potential market (basically the entire financial world) and is actively addressing issues in developing countries and regions where traditional finance is less accessible. It’s a huge market, and I expect we will finally (truly) crack it this year.

4. AI / AI Agents Truly Make a Comeback

Last January, we either experienced a crazy AI hype season that drove up the prices of Crypto x AI protocols — the only problem was that the technology hadn’t caught up yet. By 2026, the situation is different; technology can actually deliver on the hype. To me, 2026 is undoubtedly the most critical year for AI so far (like every year), as retail interest in AI’s upside potential easily spills over into crypto. Crypto x AI is a perfect synergy. Crypto brings financial track freedom, and AI brings automation. I believe this is the future of finance. Opportunities will be created in many AI subfields, including x402, robotics, agent workflows, AI data/infrastructure, and more.

3. Stablecoin Supply Increases Over 50%

Last year, the total supply of stablecoins grew by 50% (from $200 billion to $300 billion). I believe we will see similar growth in stablecoin supply this year, partly driven by the further enactment of the US’s “Genius Act” regulating stablecoins.

2. Institutional Drive in Crypto Market Will Surpass Retail

This entire cycle has been driven by institutions (DATs, ETFs, etc.). I expect this shift to continue — which is why I focus on tokens/protocols that can attract institutional interest (returning to my point about focusing on projects with real revenue).

1. BTC Price at Year-End Will Be Higher Than at the Start

$BTC Whether there will be a crazy “blow-off top” above $150,000 this year depends on many factors. Capital flows/buyer demand, DATs, macro environment, and more.

Honestly, I’m not sure if the market can gather all the perfect timing and conditions to trigger that ultimate euphoric blow-off top. However, I believe Bitcoin will close 2026 with a bullish candle. This means $BTC must close above the $90,000 range.

To summarize my bullish thesis (I may post a more detailed thread later): we are very likely in the last year of the business cycle, and we see price bottoming behaviors similar to previous years, which makes me believe we will at least close the year green — in the coming weeks, I will do a deeper dive into my exact reasoning, stay tuned.