The next stage of development in the crypto sector is quietly underway, with narratives surrounding crypto gradually shifting towards its use in everyday life. The popularity of crypto in 2026 is being shaped by how people apply crypto in their daily financial activities.
In an interview with BeInCrypto, representatives from CakeWallet and SynFutures shared their insights on the practical direction of crypto in the coming year. According to them, activities such as payments, savings, and risk management are gradually replacing speculation as the main driving force behind long-term activity in the market.
Crypto as everyday money
One of the clearest signs that crypto is gradually becoming a currency used daily is its increasingly important role, especially in areas where the traditional financial system is unstable or hard to access.
Crypto is no longer just a speculative tool but is increasingly becoming a practical solution for saving, spending, and transferring value.
“This also depends on each region of the world, but I see two huge growth opportunities in 2026,” said Seth for Privacy, Vice President of CakeWallet. “The first is in the southern hemisphere countries, where the demand for stablecoins has surged in recent years.”
In these areas, crypto often addresses lingering issues due to inflation, capital flow control, or weak banking systems. In particular, stablecoins help people maintain asset value in a currency that does not depreciate rapidly and is still easily convertible.
“For example, an ordinary citizen in Nicaragua can safely use stablecoins like USDT to store assets and pay for real-life needs, which helps protect them from risks or having their assets stolen,” the leader said.
As crypto becomes more prominent, the issue of privacy security also becomes more important. For those using crypto for everyday spending, protecting transaction information is no longer an ideal issue but is truly related to personal safety.
In this context, the use of crypto primarily stems from practical needs, not just trends, so the market continues to grow regardless of price volatility.
As these practical applications mature, supportive tools—especially stablecoins—are gradually becoming central to the global crypto ecosystem.
Yield and payments in stablecoins
Although stablecoins are well-known in emerging markets, their role is rapidly expanding to developed countries as well. By 2026, stablecoins will become a core financial tool, no longer just a temporary bridge between crypto and fiat as before.
“The region with the most room for development is the West,” Seth said. “Many people still do not see the utility of stablecoins because they can easily access banking services and fiat.”
However, this perception may change as users compare the speed and convenience of transferring stablecoins with traditional financial methods. For many, using stablecoins is a way to avoid waiting, high transaction fees, and unnecessary intermediaries.
“When users realize that switching between Bitcoin and USDT is much more convenient and easier than fiat, the speed of stablecoin adoption will surge,” he added.
Stablecoins are increasingly shaping how on-chain financial activities occur. It is forecasted that in 2026, more people will choose stablecoins to earn passive income when participating in DeFi.
“Stablecoins are becoming the mainstay in DeFi trading and derivatives markets,” Wenny Cai, COO of SynFutures commented. According to her, instead of leaving assets idle, users now use stablecoins as working capital—actively used instead of just being held in one place.”
The change in how this value is stored and used also makes the way users interact with crypto increasingly rich, not just limited to ordinary payments.
As usage becomes more purposeful
As the crypto market matures, user behavior also changes. Instead of focusing only on short-term price volatility, many are starting to pay more attention to using crypto in a more calculated and purposeful manner.
“We will see users switch to using crypto like real money!” Seth told BeInCrypto. “As speculation decreases and the market stabilizes, the number of crypto users for payments of goods and services will continue to surge.”
At the same time, many people are also starting to use tools to manage risks and volatility more effectively. According to Cai, retail investors in 2026 will prioritize active capital management rather than just passive investing.
Users are also starting to focus more, not diversifying their portfolios as before.
“Instead of buying and holding dozens of token types, they are gradually prioritizing trading major assets with leverage, self-insuring risks, or deploying complex investment strategies—all on-chain,” she explained.
Although the underlying mechanisms may be complex, the user desire is clear: they want more control, predictable outcomes, and reduced surprises.
As user behavior changes, crypto is also increasingly reaching a wider range of groups and different fields.
The combination of DeFi and TradFi
The acceptance of crypto in 2026 is not limited to a specific group of people.
Instead, crypto will spread to individuals, businesses, and professional investment organizations, each group having its own needs.
“The strongest growth areas are still southern hemisphere countries, where people truly have practical needs in life, not just simply wanting to speculate,” Seth explained. “Difficult access to banking, rapidly depreciating fiat, and strict remittance control make these countries particularly ready to accelerate crypto use in 2026.”
At the same time, professional organizations are increasingly integrating crypto tools into their operations.
“In addition to fintech companies, trading funds, digital asset managers, and online brokers are also major users of DeFi tools in 2026,” Cai shared.
What has changed here is the readiness. The infrastructure has improved, the platforms operate more stably, and the tools now easily support large, continuous activities. For this reason, the application of crypto is no longer a trial but has become a practical decision in business.
However, even though applications are expanding, there is still a significant challenge affecting the actual development of crypto.
Platforms that make crypto easy to use
Throughout both interviews, one common issue was emphasized: the biggest barrier to the expansion of crypto is no longer technical, regulatory, or liquidity.
“The most decisive factor remains the user experience,” Seth replied when asked about the factors that will help crypto grow significantly in 2026. “For a long time, crypto tools have been created by technical people for technical people.”
Cai also agrees with this opinion from a trading perspective.
“The infrastructure is running smoothly, liquidity is available, and demand is clear—but advanced trading tools still make many users feel overwhelmed and hard to access,” she said.
As crypto enters a new phase, success will increasingly depend on clarity and simplicity. Platforms that create a sense of understanding, friendliness, and safety for users will be the ones used long-term.
In 2026, perhaps the most important stories about crypto will be those that users hardly notice—simply because it operates very smoothly.
