Crypto Winter 2026 Institutions Take the Lead

Crypto might be going through another winter in 2026, but Cantor Fitzgerald is looking at a market that is more and more shaped by institutions, tokenization of real, world assets, and decentralized finance. Even though Bitcoin might be under pressure, the total value locked in tokenized assets onchain has gone up threefold this year to reach $18.5 billion and could go beyond $50 billion next year if more financial institutions decide to use onchain settlements.

The decentralized exchanges are still increasing their user base and thus market share from the centralized venues although the trading volume is going down together with Bitcoins price. The U.S. Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, for example, brings regulation clarity that removes uncertainty and thus allows banks and asset managers to become more directly involved in crypto markets.

Onchain prediction markets, mainly in sports betting, are likewise growing at a fast pace which is a clear indication of an evolving infrastructure in this sector. Howsoever there may be price difficulties, the building of an institutionally driven crypto ecosystem is well underway which is a sign that the following crypto chapter will be less disorderly and more about the continuous presence of the crypto market.

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