Messari's Unqualified Opinions

State of Crypto 2026: Winners, Losers, and Big Bets for the Next Cycle | Messari's Fully Diluted

Dec 17, 2025
Joining the discussion is AJC (Ryan), a senior member of Messari's enterprise research team known for his market analysis and strategic insights. They unpack the standout trends of 2025, including Bitcoin's rise as a macro asset and the emergence of Hyperliquid as a leading application. The conversation explores the implications of institutional flows on the crypto landscape, the evolution of yield-generating stablecoins, and Solana's innovative on-chain markets. Finally, the team shares bold predictions for 2026, highlighting potential game-changers and emerging narratives.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Solana Gave Attendees Hardware Wallet Cards

  • At Breakpoint, Solana distributed a hardware wallet that doubles as a debit card to attendees.
  • Matthew Nay found this giveaway exciting and used it as a sign of vibrant consumer product innovation on Solana.
INSIGHT

Token Rights Are The Missing Link

  • Token investors currently lack clear rights, causing value disconnects when teams pivot or get acquired.
  • Stronger token rights, disclosures, and launch mechanisms could reconnect token prices to protocol fundamentals.
INSIGHT

On-Chain Activity Outpaced Token Prices

  • DeFi metrics (activity, TVL, users) hit multi-year highs in 2025 despite weak token prices.
  • This divergence suggests fundamentals improved while token markets lagged, implying latent upside if investor confidence returns.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app