Company Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) Flags Stablecoins, Tokenization and Privacy as Key Themes for 2026

Company Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)’s crypto research team has outlined a cohesive thesis for 2026 that centers on three dominant, interlocking trends: stablecoins, real-world asset tokenization and privacy infrastructure. In a research note and accompanying posts shared by Company a16z crypto (@a16zcrypto), the firm argues that crypto is moving from speculative experimentation to infrastructure-grade utility, and that the coming year will be defined by projects and firms that close practical gaps between onchain rails and everyday economic activity.

Stablecoins are described as having already reached a mainstream scale, with transaction volumes that the report estimates rival major payment networks. The note juxtaposes stablecoin volumes with Company PayPal and U.S. ACH flows, and emphasizes that the immediate technological gains—near-instant, low-cost transfers—now require improved on-ramps and off-ramps to link digital dollars to legacy banking systems, merchant payment rails and consumer payment experiences.

To close that gap, a new wave of startups is integrating stablecoins with local payment rails, QR-based networks and card-issuing platforms so consumers can spend digital dollars at traditional merchants. The report claims these innovations could transition stablecoins from niche crypto utility to a foundational internet settlement layer, enabling cross-border commerce and new settlement primitives for web-native services.

On the subject of tokenization, Company Andreessen Horowitz highlights growing institutional interest—banks, fintech firms and asset managers are experimenting with bringing equities, commodities and private assets onchain. The firm warns, however, that much present-day tokenization remains skeuomorphic: digitally mirroring legacy structures rather than exploiting crypto-native capabilities. a16z sees greater promise in genuinely crypto-first designs, including perpetual futures and other native derivatives that can deliver deeper liquidity and simpler settlement.

Perpetual futures receive special attention as a mechanism for so-called “perpification” of emerging-market equities, and the research forecasts a migration from offchain-originated debt that is later tokenized toward direct onchain origination as compliance and standardization matures. If realized, this shift could streamline capital formation, reduce reconciliation friction and open new pathways for compliant institutional participation.

Another pillar of the thesis is privacy. a16z partners frame privacy not as an optional add-on but as a potential competitive moat for networks—privacy-preserving systems can increase user lock-in by reducing friction in cross-chain migration and by protecting participants from transaction-level surveillance. As blockchains become more interoperable, privacy features may meaningfully shape network effects and market structure.

The note also explores the intersection of AI agents and crypto infrastructure, coining needs such as "Know Your Agent" identity frameworks and programmable payment primitives that allow autonomous systems to transact and settle value instantly. Beyond finance, tokenization and crypto rails are expected to reshape wealth management, media monetization, messaging and data privacy—enabling automated portfolio rebalancing, fractional access to private markets and micropayments that compensate creators in an AI-driven consumption environment.

Overall, Company Andreessen Horowitz predicts that 2026 will mark a pivot from hype to utility as regulation, institutional participation and crypto-native innovation converge. The firm’s research—summarized on Company Cryptonews—positions stablecoins, tokenization and privacy as the infrastructure-level developments most likely to produce a durable onchain economy in the coming year.