I'm seeing a very interesting movement in the crypto market now in 2026. After the collapse of that first speculative wave in 2025 and the end of the previous Kondratieff cycle, it seems like people are really betting on DeFi 2.0 as the next big force.

What’s catching attention is how stablecoins have truly exploded. They reached a total supply of 305 billion and moved an incredible 47.6 trillion in transaction volume just by the end of 2025. I mean, that’s huge volume. And now in 2026, it’s becoming increasingly clear that money is migrating into on-chain asset management and these RWA solutions everyone was talking about.

The contrast is quite evident when you compare it to traditional financial systems. Those are stuck in heavy regulatory inertia and AI-driven speculation, while emerging economies are adopting crypto and stablecoins at an absurd speed. It’s like two worlds developing in parallel.

And that’s exactly where DeFi 2.0 comes in. This movement isn’t just hype; it’s really about bridging the gap between the adoption that’s happening now and the mass adoption still to come. The signs are clear for those paying attention. If you’re following this, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on how it’s evolving here at Gate too.