Crypto Market 2026: Company Tiger Researchs Critical Forecast Reveals 10 Inevitable Shifts

Company Tiger Research has published a comprehensive forecast outlining ten structural shifts that are likely to reshape the cryptocurrency landscape by 2026. Published via Company BitcoinWorld, the report emphasizes a transition from speculative, narrative-driven markets to an environment dominated by institutional capital, verifiable fundamentals, and sustainable token economics. The forecast combines market data, regulatory trends, and technological developments to argue that the next phase of crypto will prioritize risk management, liquidity, and measurable value accrual.

The first major theme is institutional concentration. As the report notes, proven networks such as Bitcoin and Ethereum will attract the majority of institutional allocations because they offer liquidity, security, and long-term track records. The approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the United States is cited as a catalyst that accelerates this allocation shift. Institutional demand will favor assets that function as stores of value and reliable infrastructure, while smaller, speculative projects will struggle to maintain capital flows.

Second, the end of narrative-driven valuation is forecasted. Projects that rely primarily on storytelling or community hype without demonstrable revenue or user adoption will be filtered out. Investors and fiduciaries will focus on balance sheets, cash flow, and measurable product-market fit. This movement mirrors historical consolidations in other technology cycles, where only ventures with tangible economics survived the shakeout.

Third, tokenomics will fundamentally evolve. The report predicts a shift from governance and abstract utility to token designs that deliver direct economic returns: buybacks, burns, and revenue sharing. These mechanisms create auditable scarcity and closer alignment between tokenholder outcomes and project success, effectively turning tokens into shareholder-like instruments with clearer paths to value accrual.

Market consolidation is another central theme. Tiger Research forecasts an acceleration in mergers and acquisitions, particularly among overlapping layer-2 solutions, decentralized finance protocols, and infrastructure providers. Consolidation will produce a smaller number of well-capitalized winners, improving efficiency and removing redundant projects from the ecosystem.

Beyond finance, the forecast highlights new frontiers such as decentralized data economies for AI training and the integration of prediction markets into traditional media. Individuals could be fairly compensated for verified training data via blockchain-based marketplaces, and publishers might adopt on-chain prediction markets to create new engagement and revenue models.

The report also stresses the role of traditional finance building proprietary chains to tokenize real-world assets (RWA), balancing compliance and privacy needs. In parallel, clearer regulation is expected to make fintech apps—examples include Company PayPal, Company Revolut, and Company Cash App—the primary user entry points for crypto, rather than centralized exchanges. This shift would integrate crypto into everyday financial services and lower adoption friction for mainstream users.

Finally, the report anticipates an ETF ripple effect and an increased demand for yield, which will spur innovation in Bitcoin-focused financial products (BTCFi). As institutions manage large on-chain portfolios, privacy-preserving technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs will move from niche tools to essential infrastructure to protect trading strategies and prevent market manipulation on transparent ledgers.

Company Tiger Researchs forecast paints a picture of an industry evolving toward maturity: more stable, more regulated, and more integrated with traditional finance. The path to 2026 will involve the exit of weaker projects, but the outcome suggests clearer value propositions, stronger institutional participation, and new utility-driven market structures.

Implications for investors: prioritize liquidity, verifiable revenue models, and token mechanisms that deliver direct economic benefits. Monitor regulatory developments and institutional product rollouts, and watch for consolidation opportunities among infrastructure and layer-2 providers.