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A16z Says Blockchain’s Future Will Be Quiet in 2026
Blockchain has been promising to transform identification, finance, and the internet for over ten years. The most recent prognosis from a16z Crypto suggests that such a shift might ultimately occur in 2026. Not because cryptocurrency becomes more noticeable, but rather because it becomes less noticeable. The most popular blockchain apps won’t feel speculative or experimental anymore. As fundamental infrastructure, they will instead function in silence, much like today’s payment rails or cloud servers.
A16z: AI Agents Need Blockchain to Join the Economy
According to A16z, the next significant change will occur when AI agents start to engage in the economy. On behalf of the people, these agents will manage workflows, payments, and subscriptions. However, there is a significant drawback. AI agents lack a bank account, a legal identity, and a means of proving their authority.
Blockchain comes into play here as unseen infrastructure. The idea of “Know Your Agent” (KYA) frameworks is to enable agents to use cryptographic credentials to conduct transactions. Merchants could confirm who an agent represents and what is permitted to do. The agent economy stagnates in the absence of blockchain-based identities. AI becomes a scalable economic player as a result.
Programmable Credit and Synthetic Assets Take Center Stage
Tokenizing current real-world assets, such as funds and treasuries, was a major priority of the previous cycle. 2026 will go considerably farther, according to A16z. Financial goods will start on-chain and not only travel there. It is anticipated that programmable lending, synthetic assets, and credit infrastructure will grow quickly. Compared to traditional finance, this change enhances composability and reduces expenses. The internet essentially turns into a bank under this approach. Without using outdated middlemen, everyone with a smartphone may access sophisticated financial tools.
Privacy, Not Speed, Will Determine Blockchain Adoption
In the past, blockchain‘s main selling point was its public transparency. A16z anticipates that it will pose a significant challenge to institutions by 2026. It is not possible for financial firms to function with their plans and balances completely revealed. The primary moat is privacy rather than speed or branding. Institutional funding will be drawn to networks that use secure data layers and zero-knowledge proofs. Sensitive data cannot be easily transferred between chains, but assets can. Users are unlikely to leave a private, conforming environment once they’re there.
When Crypto Stops Making Headlines, Adoption Begins
The overall message of A16z is straightforward. When cryptocurrency ceases making headlines, it wins. Prediction markets pricing risk, stablecoins settling trillions, and AI agents conducting autonomous transactions don’t require hype or visible tokens. The timing of this thesis is intriguing. Bitcoin has struggled to regain traction, and cryptocurrency markets have recently lagged behind gold and stocks. Capital is still cautious, but long-term holders are unwavering. If a structural change occurs in 2026, it might be due to infrastructure and utility rather than just sentiment. In that regard, blockchain’s transformation into just the plumbing might be its most encouraging indication to date.
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