Delphi Digital's Top 10 Predictions for 2026: Perp DEX Eats Wall Street, AI Agents Usher in Era of Autonomous Trading
Original Title: 10 Predictions for 2026
Original Source: Delphi Digital
Original Translation: Plain Blockchain
Perpetual Decentralized Exchange (Perp DEXs) will become the new Wall Street, AI Agents will achieve autonomous trading, and trading platforms will evolve into "super apps." Here are the core predictions from the report:
1. AI Agents Begin Autonomous Trading

The x402 protocol allows any API to set access permissions through cryptocurrency payments. When an AI Agent needs a service, it can make instant payments with stablecoins, consume a shopping cart, or subscribe. The ERC-8004 standard increases trust by establishing reputation (including performance history and staking collateral). The combination of these two forms the autonomous agent economy. Users can delegate travel plans, and the AI Agent will automatically subcontract to miner search agents, complete data fees through x402 payments, and book on-chain tickets, all without human intervention.
2. Perp DEXs Swallow Traditional Finance

Traditional finance is expensive due to fragmentation: trading on exchanges, settling in New York, and custody in banks. Blockchain will compress all of this into a single smart contract. Hyperliquid is currently building the restructuring feature. Perp DEXs may simultaneously act as a merchant, exchange, custodian, bank, and Manhattan Exchange. Dockyards such as Aster_DEX, Lighter_xyz, and paradex are rapidly catching up.
3. Prediction Markets Upgrade to Traditional Financial Infrastructure

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) Chairman Thomas Peterffy sees prediction markets as a real-time information layer for portfolios. Early demand focused on weather consistency in energy, logistics, and insurance risks. 2026 will usher in new categories: stock event markets for financial performance, macro value indicator markets like CPI and Fed decisions, and cross-asset relative markets. Traders holding Tokenized Apple (AAPL) stock can hedge earnings risks with simple binary contracts or engage in complex options. Prediction markets will become tier-one derivatives.
4. Ecosystem Recaptures Stablecoin Issuer Revenue

Last year, Coinbase alone earned over $900 million in USDC reserve revenue through the issuance channel. Public blockchains like Solana, BSC, and Arbitrum generate approximately $800 million in total annual fees, yet have over $30 billion of idle USDC and USDT locked up on their networks. This trend is shifting. Hyperliquid secured USDH reserve revenue through bidding. Ethena's "Stablecoin Instant Service" model is being adopted by Sui, MegaETH, and Jupiter. The specific flow of lost revenue back to the issuer is being reclaimed by platforms creating demand.
5. DeFi Cracks Undercollateralized Borrowing

While DeFi borrowing protocols have massive Total Value Locked (TVL), almost all require overcollateralization. zkTLS (Zero-Knowledge Transport Layer Security) is the breakthrough: users can prove they have sufficient bank balance without revealing identity accounts. 3jane offers instant USDC undercollateralized credit based on verified Web2 financial data and dynamically adjusts interest rates through real-time monitoring. This framework can also provide direct funding based on AI agent performance history (credit score). Maple Finance, Centrifuge, and USDai have been at the forefront in this area. 2026 will be the year undercollateralized debt shifts from experiments to infrastructure.
6. Onchain FX Seeks Product-Market Fit

USD stablecoins represent 99.7% of the supply, but this may be the peak of their dominance. The traditional forex market is massive but riddled with frictions, leading to low settlement efficiency. Onchain FX eliminates intermediaries by tokenizing all currencies as on-chain assets, paving the way for emerging market currency pairs to thrive, as traditional forex there is most expensive and inefficient. These overlooked areas are where cryptocurrency demonstrates its most significant value proposition.
7. Gold and Bitcoin Lead the Currency Debasement Trade

Gold, after being bullish, surged by 60%. Despite gold hitting an all-time high, central banks around the world still bought over 600 tons. The macro background supports continued strength: global interest rate cuts, ongoing fiscal deficits, and global M2 hitting an all-time high. Gold usually outperforms Bitcoin by three to four months. With devaluation becoming a key theme around 2026, both gold and Bitcoin will attract safe haven inflows.
8. Trading Platforms Evolve into "Super Apps" (Everything Apps)

Coinbase, Robinhood, Binance, and Kraken no longer function solely as trading platforms. Coinbase acts as the platform, Base App as the interface, and USDC provides revenue supplementation. Robinhood's Gold members grew by 77%, becoming a retention engine. Binance has over 270 million users, with a payment volume of $250 billion. As the cost of decentralization decreases, platforms with users will gain the most value. In 2026, winners will start to pull away.
9. Privacy Infrastructure Catching Up with Market Demand
Privacy is under immense pressure: the EU passed the "Chat Control Act," and cash transactions are limited to €10,000. Privacy infrastructure is on the rise. payy_link launches a private encryption card, SeismicSys offers protocol-level encryption for fintech, and KeetaNetwork achieves anonymous KYC. If there is no public payment track, stablecoin adoption will reach mass awareness.
10. Altcoins Embrace Decentralization (Non-Uniform Rise)

The "uniform rise" bull market will not return. Over $30 billion in token unlocks are pausing at the top and facing competition from AI, robotics, and biotech funding. Capital will flock to structural demand: tokens with ETF inflows, protocols with real income and buybacks, and applications with clear product-market fit. Winners will focus on teams that have built moats in real economic activities.
Conclusion
Cryptocurrency is entering a new phase: institutionalization has arrived. Prediction markets, on-chain lending, agent-based economics, and stablecoin infrastructure represent a true paradigm shift. Cryptocurrency is becoming the infrastructure layer of the global financial system.
You may also like
WEEX x LALIGA Exclusive "Shoot Daily" Event: Predict Football Matches to Win
Join WEEX x LALIGA "Shoot Daily" event! Predict football matches, win BTC & exclusive co-branded jerseys. Trade, refer & earn spins. Feb 9–28. Play now!

Vitalik Voices Support for Algorithmic Stablecoins: Who Is the True DeFi in His Mind?

Advertisement on American Primetime TV Feels Like a Scam

Why Don't Crypto Exchanges Need Institutional Adoption Yet?

Robinhood Goes DeFi with L2, Focusing on RWA Tokenization

February 12 Key Market Information Discrepancy - A Must-See! | Alpha Morning Report

Kalshi Trading Volume Hits New All-Time High, What Is a Reasonable Pre-market Stock Price?

Before Musk gave him $1 million, he made $600,000 by launching a coin

BlackRock Makes First Foray into DeFi Trading, Coinbase CEO's Stock Sale Controversy - What's Trending in the Global Crypto Community Today?

WEEX AI Trading Hackathon Finals: The World's Biggest AI Trading Competition Is Live
WEEX AI Trading Hackathon Finals are live. 37 finalists compete for $1M+ prizes & a Bentley Bentayga S. Hubble AI powers 10 finalists. Watch live PnL leaderboards and see who wins the ultimate AI trading competition.

Key Market Information Discrepancy on February 11th – A Must-See! | Alpha Morning Report

February 11 Market Key Intelligence, How Much Did You Miss?

Analyzing the Impact of Technological Trends in 2026
Key Takeaways The rapid evolution of technology continues to reshape industries, creating both opportunities and challenges. Understanding the…

Navigating Crypto Content Challenges in a Digital World
Key Takeaways Effective content management in the crypto industry involves addressing usage limits and optimizing resources. Staying informed…

Cryptocurrency Exchanges: Current Trends and Future Outlook
Key Takeaways The cryptocurrency exchange market continues to expand, influenced by various global economic trends. User experience and…

Untitled
I’m sorry, but I can’t generate a rewritten article without access to specific content for rewriting. If you…

Crypto Market Dynamics: An In-depth Overview
Market fluctuations provide insights into the volatility and dynamics of cryptocurrency trading. Key market participants play significant roles…

Predicting High-Frequency Trading Strategies in the Market, How to Ensure a Guaranteed $100,000 Profit?
WEEX x LALIGA Exclusive "Shoot Daily" Event: Predict Football Matches to Win
Join WEEX x LALIGA "Shoot Daily" event! Predict football matches, win BTC & exclusive co-branded jerseys. Trade, refer & earn spins. Feb 9–28. Play now!