Grayscale Investments has released a new report forecasting a sustained crypto bull market extending into 2026 despite widespread scepticism about traditional market cycles.
Grayscale defines its six crypto sectors as currencies, smart contract platforms, financials, consumer and culture, artificial intelligence, and utilities and services.
The framework is designed to capture a broad range of blockchain-based use cases across the digital asset economy.
Grayscale highlighted macroeconomic stress as a key driver of demand for alternative stores of value.
The report pointed to increasing regulatory clarity as a catalyst for deeper institutional participation in public blockchain networks.
“We expect ongoing macro demand for alternative stores of value, and regulatory clarity to drive institutional investment into public blockchain technology,” the report said.
Grayscale contrasted the uncertainty surrounding fiat currencies with the predictable supply of Bitcoin.
The outlook for fiat currencies is increasingly uncertain; in contrast, we can be highly confident that the 20 millionth bitcoin will be mined in March 2026.
The firm said.
- The first of Grayscale’s 10 themes is dollar debasement risk driving interest in monetary alternatives.
- The second theme centres on regulatory clarity supporting broader digital asset adoption.
- The third theme forecasts expanding stablecoin usage following the passage of the GENIUS Act.
- The fourth theme identifies asset tokenisation as reaching an inflection point across financial markets.
- The fifth theme expects stronger privacy solutions to become essential as blockchain technology moves into the mainstream.
- The sixth theme highlights demand for decentralised systems driven by growing AI centralisation.
- The seventh theme predicts accelerating decentralised finance activity, particularly in lending markets.
- The eighth theme stresses the importance of next-generation infrastructure to enable mainstream adoption.
- The ninth theme suggests investors will increasingly prioritise sustainable revenue models.
- The tenth theme forecasts staking becoming a default expectation for crypto investors.
Grayscale also dismissed quantum computing as a near-term risk to crypto valuations in 2026.
The firm said digital asset treasuries are unlikely to materially influence demand or selling pressure next year.
We see a bright outlook for digital assets in 2026, underpinned by the dual forces of macro demand for alternative stores of value and improving regulatory clarity.
Grayscale said.
Next year is likely to be about deepening the connectivity between blockchain-based finance and traditional finance, and about institutional capital inflows.
The report added.
Grayscale concluded with a warning that not all tokens will successfully transition into the next phase of the crypto market.
At the time of reporting, Bitcoin price was $89,104.63.