a16z says the next phase of cryptocurrencies focuses on infrastructure and real-world impact.

• a16z sees cryptocurrencies as more than just new blockchains
• Infrastructure defines crypto's competitive advantage in 2026.
• Markets, computing, and media gain prominence.

a16z crypto, the cryptocurrency division of Andreessen Horowitz, believes that the next phase of the sector will be marked less by the launch of new blockchains and more by the technology's ability to influence markets, computing infrastructure, and digital media. This analysis is part of the company's 2026 thesis, which prioritizes practical utility and integration with existing systems.

Cryptocurrency-native tools are advancing into areas beyond decentralized finance. This movement is driven by improvements in cryptography, artificial intelligence, and market design, allowing blockchains to function as foundational infrastructure, not just isolated environments for financial applications.

One of the highlights of the report is the prediction markets, which are expected to gain scale and sophistication throughout 2026. The combination of cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence tends to broaden the reach of these markets, which have already ceased to be restricted experiments and have become relevant sources of aggregated information.

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For a16z, the next step involves improving dispute resolution mechanisms, especially in political and geopolitical events. Centralized models face limitations as volume grows, opening space for decentralized structures and the use of AI-powered oracles capable of delivering more transparent results.

Another key point highlighted is the expansion of cryptographic proofs beyond the blockchain. Advances in zero-knowledge virtual machines are significantly reducing the cost of generating these proofs, making verifiable computing viable in cloud environments and, gradually, in consumer devices.

This advancement could unlock applications that have been discussed for years, such as verifiable cloud computing. In this model, companies can obtain cryptographic guarantees that calculations were executed correctly, without the need to redo them internally, increasing efficiency and trust in digital systems.

The report also addresses the rise of so-called "staking media." In this format, creators and analysts use tokenized assets, programmable locks, and on-chain ledgers to make verifiable public commitments, aligning incentives between those who produce content and those who consume information.

With the spread of AI-generated content and reduced production costs, a16z sees these cryptographic commitments as a new sign of credibility. The proposal does not replace traditional journalism, but adds transparency by allowing reputation and capital to be exposed in an auditable way.

This vision connects to previous predictions from a16z crypto, which point to infrastructure and privacy as central factors for the competitiveness of cryptocurrency networks in the coming years, shifting the sector's focus to concrete and measurable applications.