Coinbase(US:COIN) Yahoo Finance·2026-01-04 13:56Core Insights - Coinbase Ventures identifies key growth trends in the cryptocurrency sector for 2026, focusing on real-world assets, advanced DeFi, prediction markets, and the integration of AI with blockchain technology [1][2] Group 1: Investment Trends - Venture funding in the cryptocurrency space surged to $4.65 billion in Q3 2025, marking the highest level since early 2023, indicating strong investor interest despite sideways trading in major cryptocurrencies [1] - The investment focus is shifting towards themes such as perpetual futures for real-world assets, advanced decentralized finance (DeFi) solutions, and the intersection of AI and blockchain [2] Group 2: Real-World Assets (RWAs) - RWAs allow trading on-chain exposure to traditional assets like US Treasuries and commodities, with tokenized Treasuries increasing from approximately $700 million to over $8 billion in two years as institutions seek on-chain yield [3] - Coinbase Ventures is emphasizing perpetual futures on RWAs, which act as perpetual bets on asset prices rather than direct ownership [3][4] Group 3: DeFi Innovations - Perpetuals are highlighted as essential components that integrate with lending protocols, enabling leveraged bets while collateral earns yield, akin to margin trading in traditional finance [5] - The focus on unsecured, credit-based lending aims to transition a portion of the trillion-dollar off-chain credit market onto the blockchain, moving away from overcollateralized loans towards models resembling real-world credit cards and business loans [5]