There's a saying that goes well: seeing clearly doesn't mean touching it. No matter how sharp your perception of market changes, timing will always be the most difficult variable. Most things only become clear in hindsight.

Now, I will share my personal opinion based on my understanding of the current industry. I believe that by 2026, the Web3 and digital asset sectors will show these several obvious trends.

**DeFi will continue to grow, but the ecosystem will lose its attractiveness**

Starting with DeFi. This area is often misunderstood. I have no doubts about the prospects of DeFi; on-chain finance replacing traditional financial scenarios is an inevitable trend. Total value locked and trading volume are likely to surpass the highs of previous cycles.

But what is truly declining is not DeFi itself, but the concept of the "DeFi ecosystem."

As cross-chain infrastructure matures, intent-based routing will become standard. The level of abstraction of liquidity will also reach new heights—meaning capital will ruthlessly flow to the best execution, lowest risk, and highest efficiency places, regardless of which chain you are on.

The original incentive mechanisms of the ecosystem? They will gradually become ineffective. What will thrive are the underlying infrastructure that can capture capital flows and provide optimal execution.

DeFi will not disappear; instead, it will become the financial backbone of the internet—transforming from an independent destination into infrastructure. This change will directly impact the business models of current TVL providers and DeFi gatekeepers.