a16z Crypto: Crypto Enters the "Infrastructure Era," Prediction Markets, Verifiable Computation, and More Will Reshape the Market

In its new outlook report, a16z Crypto states that the next phase of industry development this year will no longer primarily depend on the emergence of new blockchains, but rather on how the technology reshapes markets, computing infrastructure, and the media landscape. a16z Crypto indicates that by 2026, prediction markets will be larger, broader, and more complex as they converge with cryptography and artificial intelligence; the next phase of growth will involve not only more contracts but also better ways to resolve truth-determination issues in disputed outcomes. Furthermore, 2026 could be a turning point for the expansion of cryptographic proofs into non-blockchain industries. Advances in zero-knowledge virtual machine technology are significantly reducing the cost of generating proofs, making verifiable computing feasible for cloud CPU workloads and ultimately, consumer devices. Simultaneously, the industry will undergo transformation as prediction markets expand, cryptographic proofs are integrated into enterprise systems, and "real money" investment in the financial sector becomes a new cornerstone of trust. Driven by advancements in cryptography, artificial intelligence, and market design, crypto-native tools are increasingly penetrating numerous industries beyond decentralized finance, with blockchain playing a role as underlying infrastructure rather than as a standalone application scenario or end-user target. (The Block)