Chainlink Founder: Crypto Hodlers have NO IDEA what comes next

Regulatory Landscape & Industry Growth - The US stance on cryptocurrencies and digital assets is a key factor determining the speed of industry growth [1] - Understanding in DC is growing that the industry's value extends beyond speculative coins to rebuilding the financial system [1] - The White House is actively involved in stable coin legislation and broader digital asset regulation [1] - There's a 70-80% chance of the Clarity Act happening before the midterms [4] - SEC and CFTC are showing unprecedented support for the crypto industry, potentially issuing guidance and rules even if the market structure bill fails [4] Chainlink's Role & Technological Advancements - Chainlink enables automated compliance and proactive regulation by codifying regulatory rules into smart contracts [1] - Chainlink Runtime Environment (CRE) simplifies the development of institutional smart contracts, reducing the time and number of developers needed [2] - Chainlink's confidential compute enables private smart contracts, unlocking trillions of dollars in transactions by allowing verification without disclosing sensitive data [3] - Chainlink is positioned to connect DeFi, traditional finance, and the blockchain world, managing complexity through CRE workflows [8][9] Tokenization & Market Dynamics - Tokenization, especially of assets beyond cash like stocks, bonds, and real estate, is expected to go mainstream next year [3] - The industry needs a flywheel of commercial and market success with high-quality assets on-chain and active trading [3][4] - DeFi's success is driven by a commercial loop, and institutional digital asset tokenization needs a similar pattern [3] - Institutional capital will eventually flow into DeFi, potentially 10x'ing DeFi overnight as clients seek higher yields [6]