Blockchain Industry Shifts from Experimentation to Practicality
The blockchain industry has seen significant changes in recent years, with many business models emerging that are unique to traditional internet and finance. However, most of these have failed to create sustainable demand. In 2026, this trend continues, with a growing polarization between services that attract strong speculative demand and those connected to the real economy.
Services like meme coins, perpetual futures, and prediction markets continue to grow rapidly, despite the market downturn. These areas have become increasingly narrow, with investors now preferring to opt for real-world assets (RWAs) or high-risk investments that offer higher potential returns.
On the other hand, stablecoins and RWAs are expanding their use beyond traditional payment methods to include card payments and remittances. Companies like Coinbase, Robinhood, MetaMask, and Klaytn have begun to offer increasingly similar services, including perpetual futures, prediction markets, and stablecoins and RWAs.
The industry is shifting from an era of experimentation where 'anything can be made on blockchain' to a stage where it questions 'what can be made on blockchain that people will actually use.'