Global Regulation and Crypto Super Apps: Key Trends of 2026
The cryptocurrency market is evolving rapidly. While in 2020–2021 the main focus was on DeFi and NFTs, by 2024–2025 attention shifted to tokens based on artificial intelligence, DePIN projects, and the tokenization of real-world assets.
In 2026, according to experts, the main strategic directions will be global regulation, the development of infrastructural blockchains, and the creation of multifunctional crypto super apps.
DeFi 2.0: A New Liquidity Architecture
Analysts expect a renewed interest in decentralized finance, but at a qualitatively new level. The main task of the next stage is to eliminate the weaknesses of early generations of DeFi protocols and build a more sustainable ecosystem.
- Blockchains will operate faster and cheaper thanks to scalable solutions and technological upgrades.
- Liquidity pools will function in autonomous mode — built-in mechanisms will manage risks and insure smart contracts against failures.
- Decentralized protocols will begin to form their own reserves to protect users from losses.
- Artificial intelligence will be integrated into DeFi to help manage capital and find optimal trading strategies.
- Cross-chain interaction will become easier: most transactions will go through bridges and aggregators.
- New transparency standards will appear: investors will be identified through KYC, and liquidity pools will be included in “white lists” to improve security.
A universal standard of inter-blockchain communication (IBC 2.0) is also expected to emerge, which for blockchains will play the same role as TCP/IP once did for the internet — a universal “language systеm” uniting different networks into a single space.
Another important trend is the spread of the Protocol-Owned Liquidity (POL) model. The idea is that protocols buy and manage their own liquidity instead of relying on external providers. Projects like Olympus DAO, Frax Finance, and Thorchain are already applying this approach.
Global Regulatory Standards
The regulatory environment in the crypto industry is gradually becoming clearer and more structured. In Europe, the MiCA regulation is already in effect, setting a unified legal framework for digital assets.
The United States is also actively discussing initiatives. They concern the regulation of stablecoins, while the SEC is promoting Project Crypto, aimed at adapting legislation to the realities of the crypto market and integrating DeFi into traditional finance. At the same time, Congress is considering the CLARITY Act, which proposes a two-tier classification of digital assets (digital commodities and mature blockchain systems) and separate rules for Web3 companies.
Asian countries are also actively involved: Hong Kong has officially allowed retail trading of cryptocurrencies, while Japan has expanded the list of officially recognized digital assets.
According to the IMF, today only about 45% of countries have clear regulations in this area, but by 2026 this figure could reach 70%. At the same time, the number of licensed crypto exchanges is expected to nearly double — from 180 to 300.
However, regulation has both advantages and disadvantages: it brings transparency and legal protection but may also slow down innovation. In the event of excessive pressure, some Web3 projects are likely to relocate to more liberal jurisdictions such as Switzerland, Singapore, and the UAE.
Infrastructural Blockchains: Forecasts
By 2026, Layer 1 blockchains may finally establish themselves as the operational foundation of the entire DeFi sector, serving as a fundamental platform for decentralized applications and services.
Ethereum is expected to maintain its leadership, with about 65% of all DeFi liquidity based on its ecosystem. It will continue to dominate not only decentralized finance but also NFTs and institutional applications.
- Ripple will remain the key blockchain for banking and financial integrations.
- Solana will strengthen its position through payment solutions in partnership with Visa and Shopify.
- Cardano will gain scalability thanks to the Hydra technology.
- Polkadot will continue to develop parachains and expand interoperability through XCM.
- Near will promote sharding and the concept of an abstract blockchain.
- Cosmos will reinforce its reputation through hybrid architecture and high fault tolerance.
Super Apps: The New Era of Web3
According to SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, the next stage in the development of Web3 will be the emergence of super apps — universal platforms that combine all key crypto services in one interface.
A vivid example is the Coinbase Base App, which combines a social network, chat, mini-apps, trading tools, and digital asset services.
A similar approach is likely to be adopted by other industry leaders such as Robinhood, Binance, and OKX. Their ecosystems already integrate centralized solutions with DeFi services, making them ready for the “crypto super app” format.
Analysts predict that such super apps could play the same role for Web3 as WeChat once did for China: they will become the main entry point to the ecosystem for millions of new users.