Haseeb Qureshi, a managing partner at prominent Web3 VC firm Dragonfly Capital, has unveiled his compelling predictions for the Web3 landscape in 2026, offering a detailed glimpse into the future of cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and decentralized technologies. His outlook paints a picture of significant growth and evolving market dynamics, with several key segments poised for remarkable expansion.
Bitcoin's Ascent and Shifting Dominance
Qureshi anticipates a robust rally for Bitcoin (BTC), projecting it to surpass the $150,000 milestone by the end of 2026, representing a substantial 67% increase from current levels. Despite this impressive price surge, he foresees a decrease in Bitcoin's overall market dominance. Concurrently, Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) are expected to solidify and expand their leadership within the smart contract platform sector, particularly for decentralized applications (dApps). Conversely, minor blockchain chains, including some stablecoin-focused ones, are predicted to underperform in the same period. The Web3 space will also see more Fortune Top 100 companies launching blockchain ventures, leading to a concentrated market where top-tier banks will play a dominant role in infrastructure leveraging DoubleZero architecture.
Stablecoins and Prediction Markets: Explosive Growth Ahead
The stablecoin segment is earmarked for explosive growth, with a projected 60% year-over-year expansion in supply. USD-pegged stablecoins will continue to dominate, retaining over 99% of the market share, though USDT's dominance is expected to dip to 55%. A particularly exciting area identified by Qureshi is stablecoin-based cards, which he predicts will rally by over 1,000%, becoming a primary driver for retail stablecoin adoption, with platforms like Rain emerging as influential players. Decentralized prediction markets are also set for significant expansion, with liquidity likely to concentrate heavily on a maximum of three venues, including Polymarket, Kalshi, and Robinhood front-ends. Furthermore, shifts in the U.S. political landscape could profoundly impact the audience for "PolitFi" meme coins and associated ecosystems.
AI, Infrastructure, and Enhanced Security
While the synergy between AI and Web3 continues to evolve, Qureshi suggests that full-scale agentic payments adoption will not materialize in 2026. However, the ecosystem will likely see an increase in ultra-small teams (under 10 employees) successfully launching popular products. In terms of security, the Web3 space is expected to mature, with a notable reduction in large-scale crypto hacks compared to the preceding year, as teams of all sizes prioritize and enhance their security measures. This focus on robustness will be crucial as the industry continues its rapid expansion.
