Crypto asset manager CoinShares says digital assets are evolving from experimental instruments into core components of the financial system, as major institutions increasingly build on public blockchains.
In its 2026 Digital Asset Outlook, published Monday, the firm predicts the next phase will focus on integration rather than disruption, describing the trend as “hybrid finance”—where crypto infrastructure merges with traditional finance to create new market systems.
“Digital assets are no longer operating outside the traditional economy,” said CEO Jean-Marie Mognetti, adding that 2026 is expected to bring “consolidation into the real economy.”
The report highlights growing stablecoin adoption and the rise of tokenized assets, including private credit and U.S. Treasuries, alongside expanding tokenized funds, deposits, and stablecoin offerings from established financial institutions.
Bitcoin adoption is also accelerating. U.S. spot ETFs have seen more than $90 billion in inflows, while over one million BTC are now held in corporate treasuries across 190 public companies.
Looking ahead, CoinShares expects broader access via wealth platforms and retirement accounts, along with more direct institutional settlement through custody banks. The firm also outlines three potential bitcoin price scenarios linked to macroeconomic conditions:
- Soft landing with productivity gains: BTC above $150,000
- Steady growth: BTC between $110,000–$140,000
- Stagflation or recession: Short-term decline, followed by a rebound
Competition to become the settlement layer for hybrid finance is intensifying, with Ethereum remaining the institutional anchor even as rivals gain traction.
“2026 will be defined by a financial system quietly rearchitecting itself around public blockchains and digital settlement layers,” said James Butterfill, CoinShares head of research.
The report also flags regulatory divergence, from Europe’s MiCA framework to evolving U.S. stablecoin policy and Asia’s Basel-style approach, as well as structural shifts including miners moving into HPC and AI infrastructure and the growing relevance of prediction markets.
