The cryptocurrency world is gearing up for a revolutionary 2026, marked by a decisive shift from speculation to a solid institutional infrastructure. Following the market crash on October 10, 2025, which witnessed the liquidation of $20 billion in just 24 hours, it became clear that infrastructure resilience, rather than market enthusiasm, is the true tipping point for the confidence of institutional investors in DeFi.
The forecasts for 2026 outline a scenario where the quality of infrastructure becomes the determining factor for the survival and growth of protocols. RedStone Oracles and Credora are at the forefront of this transformation, providing reliable data and risk assessment systems that are redefining industry standards.
Summary
DeFi: Sustained Growth Beyond Traditional Cycles
The Maturation of Institutional Infrastructure
The forecast for DeFi is clear: the total value locked (TVL) will reach between 150 and 200 billion dollars by the end of 2026, surpassing the current approximately 124 billion. This growth will no longer be driven by Federal Reserve rate cuts, but by the maturation of institutional infrastructure. ETFs on bitcoin and ethereum have already accumulated over 130 billion dollars in assets under management, indicating steady institutional inflows.
The shift from retail speculation to institutional allocation radically changes the requirements: institutions demand reliable oracles, with zero tolerance for pricing errors. RedStone’s ability to operate seamlessly across over 110 blockchains is now a required standard, no longer a distinguishing feature.
The Challenge of Correlation with Traditional Markets
Despite a partial decoupling between bitcoin and the S&P 500, the risk of correlation in the event of a crisis remains high (0.70+). This makes real-time risk assessment systems essential, such as those provided by Credora, which allow for the proper sizing of institutional positions.
The real question for DeFi protocols in 2026 is no longer whether liquidity will arrive, but whether the infrastructure will be able to meet the demands of institutional capital. The October crash highlighted the vulnerabilities of oracles, with manipulations that amplified the initial downturns, undermining investor confidence.
The Rise of AI Agents and the New Demand for Data
AI Agents: New Players in Data Consulting
By 2026, the AI agents market will reach a capitalization of over 15 billion dollars, becoming among the main consumers of on-chain data. These agents operate 24/7 across dozens of blockchains, requiring update latencies of less than a millisecond and zero tolerance for price errors.
The integration with Credora allows AI agents to automatically assess risk across thousands of DeFi opportunities, thanks to ratings that cover credit risk, collateral health, liquidity depth, and depeg probability. RedStone, with its proven reliability, becomes the ideal partner for autonomous strategies and for users who have never used a traditional wallet.
RWA: the Boom of Real-World Asset Tokenization
Private Credit and Tokenized Equities: the New Frontiers
The market for tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) will reach between 50 and 60 billion dollars by the end of 2026. Private credit will maintain a dominant share (45-50%), but it will be tokenized equities that record the most explosive percentage growth (200-300%), thanks to the regulatory clarity expected by mid-2026.
The infrastructure for this acceleration is now ready: the U.S. GENIUS Act of July 2025 has provided regulatory clarity on stablecoins, while the SEC has initiated an enabling approach for asset tokenization. RedStone, as the official partner of Securitize, powers real-time NAV oracles for major institutional tokenized funds.
Credora, on the other hand, offers a rating protocol that allows institutions to compare risk profiles across protocols, enabling the integration between traditional finance and DeFi.
US Regulation: The Engine of Global Capital Reallocation
Regulatory Clarity and Infrastructure Investments
The year 2026 will see the United States solidify its position as a leader in cryptocurrency regulation, attracting over 50% of institutional capital flows and driving infrastructure investments exceeding $500 billion. The GENIUS Act, the removal of barriers for bank custody, and the creation of the SEC Crypto Task Force have revolutionized the regulatory landscape.
This clarity allows banks to offer custody services for digital assets, unlocks the scalability of real asset tokenization, and legitimizes institutional participation in DeFi protocols. RedStone positions itself as a provider of bank-standard compliant oracles, while Credora offers standardized risk metrics required by compliance officers.
DeFi as a Platform: The Era of Plugins and Chain Abstraction
Uniswap V4 and Infrastructure Innovation
Over 70% of new DeFi innovations in 2026 will emerge as infrastructural plugins (Uniswap V4 hooks, Morpho vaults, Aave spokes) rather than standalone protocols. Cross-chain interoperability will reach production scale, with over $200 billion in TVL distributed across different blockchains.
The modular architecture of RedStone enables the provision of consistent data across over 110 chains, while Credora facilitates automated capital allocation through standardized ratings, making it essential in the platform era.
Stablecoin: Towards $700 Billion and the Institutional UX Revolution
The New Competition Between Bank-Issued Stablecoins and Crypto-Native Stablecoins
The stablecoin market will reach between 500 and 700 billion dollars by the end of 2026, with B2B volumes doubling to over 12 billion dollars monthly. The introduction of bank-issued stablecoins and tokenized deposits will create a two-tier system: crypto-native products for retail and DeFi, banking products for institutional flows.
Stablecoins require specific oracle infrastructures: reserve verification, NAV calculation for yield-bearing stablecoins, cross-chain attestations. RedStone, thanks to its partnership with Securitize, is at the crossroads between institutional stablecoins and the tokenization of real assets, while Credora extends its methodology to stablecoin ratings, analyzing reserve composition and redemption reliability.
Moderate Volatility, but Infrastructure Quality Remains Crucial
The New Stability of Bitcoin and the Risk of Correlation
The boom-bust cycle of bitcoin appears to be over, with institutional ownership ensuring structural stability. The average volatility for 2026 is expected to be 50-60% lower than the peaks of 2020-2022, with gradual growth supported by institutional accumulation. However, the risk of correlation with traditional markets during crises remains high.
The October crash demonstrated that infrastructure resilience is everything: a single oracle error can destroy institutional trust overnight. RedStone stands out for its complete absence of incidents in over three years of operation, while Credora provides real-time updated ratings, delivering the risk language required by institutions.
2026: The Year of Natural Selection for Crypto Infrastructures
The year 2026 will mark the end of the era of speculation and the beginning of the era of infrastructure. The convergence of regulatory clarity, institutional capital, technological maturity, and real adoption creates an unprecedented opportunity. However, only the protocols that recognize that accurate data and comprehensive risk ratings are fundamental will be able to survive and thrive.
RedStone and Credora represent the new frontier of infrastructural reliability, providing the foundation upon which institutions can build their trust in DeFi. Institutional adoption is no longer a question, but a reality. Now, the difference will be made by the quality of the infrastructure. Those who can rise to this challenge will be the protagonists of the new era of cryptocurrencies.
