The crypto market is the only financial ecosystem in the world that truly never sleeps. There are no “closing bells,” no bank holidays, and no weekends off.

While that constant pulse is what draws many of us in, it’s also a recipe for burnout if you don’t know when to swim to shore.

As we approach the final days of 2025, I’ve decided to take a much-needed break.

With the new year just around the corner, I believe the best ROI I can get right now isn’t from trying to do more. Rather, it’s from resting, recharging, and spending quality time with my family. If I keep trying to swim against every tide, I’ll have no energy left when the real waves hit in 2026.

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The 2026 Outlook

While my screens might be off for the next week or two, my thesis for the coming year is clearer than ever. I believe 2026 will be the year where “utility narratives” finally take center stage, moving away from pure speculation and toward integration with our daily lives.

Here are the three pillars I’m watching most closely:

1. Stablecoins: The New Financial Rails

We’ve spent years talking about stablecoin adoption; in 2026, we’re going to stop talking about it and start living it. The infrastructure is already here. We are seeing a massive shift from stablecoins being “trading collateral” to becoming the primary rails for global payments.

• The Next Step: Watch for deeper integration with Traditional Finance (TradFi). Whether it’s payroll, cross-border B2B payments, or consumer fintech apps, the friction between “crypto” and “cash” is about to vanish.

2. Real World Assets (RWA): Tokenizing the Planet

“Tokenize everything” isn’t just a catchphrase anymore; it’s a standard. We’ve already seen the successful migration of stocks, commodities, and US Treasuries onto the blockchain.

• The 2026 Evolution: I expect a surge in the fractional ownership of illiquid assets. Real estate is the big one here. Being able to own a fraction of a high-yield commercial property or a vacation rental with the click of a button will democratize wealth building in a way we’ve never seen before.

3. Prediction Markets: Truth as a Commodity

If 2024 and 2025 were the “Proof of Concept” years for platforms like Polymarket, 2026 will be the year of mass-market expansion. Prediction markets have proven to be more accurate than traditional polling and more engaging than standard news.

• A New Pastime: Betting on events—from geopolitical shifts to pop culture moments—is becoming a favorite pastime. We are moving toward a world where people put their money where their mouth is, creating a decentralized “source of truth” for future events.

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First Things First: The “Boring” Stuff

Despite the excitement for what’s coming, the next few days won’t be spent analyzing new protocols or reading whitepapers. Instead, I’ll be focusing on the “boring” (but essential) things: wrapping gifts, enjoying home-cooked meals, and reflecting on my New Year’s resolutions.

To find the signal in the noise next year, you have to be able to hear yourself think first.

I’ll see you all in 2026.