Top 9 Crypto Sectors Coinbase Ventures Is Betting On in 2026
Coinbase Ventures has (*9*) 9 key funding areas it believes will outline crypto’s subsequent development part, starting from real-world asset perpetuals to AI-powered robotics, because the agency seeks to deploy capital in an more and more refined blockchain ecosystem.
The enterprise arm, which manages a portfolio of 422 firms throughout 618 whole investments since its 2018 founding, launched its 2026 priorities because the crypto enterprise market experiences its strongest fundraising interval because the FTX collapse.
This launch got here as third-quarter funding reached $4.65 billion, marking a 290% surge from the earlier quarter.
Short time period worth strikes don’t measure long run progress. 2025 was an enormous 12 months for elementary progress in crypto adoption and innovation.
We’re sharing 9 concepts we’re able to again that would outline crypto’s subsequent huge factor in 2026. They break down into 4 most important themes:
pic.twitter.com/cqyYMBssUr
— Coinbase Ventures
(@cbventures) November 25, 2025
Perpetuals and Trading Infrastructure Lead Investment Themes
Coinbase Ventures recognized real-world asset perpetuals as its high precedence, with General Partner Kinji Steimetz describing the class as enabling “artificial publicity to offchain belongings by way of perpetual futures contracts.”
The agency expects markets to type round the whole lot from non-public firms to financial information prints, a phenomenon Steimetz termed the “perpification of the whole lot.“
Specialized buying and selling infrastructure represents one other core focus, notably prediction market aggregators that would consolidate over $600 million in fragmented liquidity throughout venues like Polymarket and Kalshi.
Next-generation DeFi protocols additionally captured consideration, with composability in perpetual markets permitting merchants to earn yield on collateral whereas sustaining leveraged positions, as perpetual DEX volumes hit $1.4 trillion month-to-month.
Unsecured Lending and Privacy Solutions Draw Focus
Unsecured credit score markets emerged as what General Partner Jonathan King known as “DeFi’s subsequent frontier,” with the U.S. alone holding $1.3 trillion in revolving unsecured credit score traces that crypto infrastructure may probably seize.
King emphasised the problem lies in designing sustainable danger fashions that mix onchain repute with offchain information.
Privacy-preserving applied sciences gained renewed emphasis, with General Partner Ethan Oak noting that mainstream adoption could require customers to take care of monetary confidentiality.
The agency can also be monitoring privacy-focused belongings and DeFi functions utilizing superior cryptography, together with zero-knowledge proofs and trusted execution environments.
AI-powered onchain improvement instruments characterize what King described as good contract improvement’s “GitHub Copilot second,” probably enabling non-technical founders to launch onchain companies inside hours by way of automated code era and safety opinions.
Robotics Data and Digital Identity Round Out Priorities
Physical robotics information assortment emerged as a longer-term guess, with Steimetz figuring out a crucial hole in coaching information for robotic methods, notably fine-grained bodily interplay information involving grip strain and manipulation of deformable supplies.
Decentralized bodily infrastructure networks may present a framework for scaling high-quality information assortment.
Proof of humanity options closed out the listing, with General Partner Hoolie Tejwani warning that digital content material is approaching a tipping level the place AI-generated materials turns into indistinguishable from human creation.
Coinbase Ventures backs Worldcoin as one strategy, although Tejwani indicated the agency would help a number of options.
In abstract, the 9 precedence areas embody:
- RWA perpetuals
- Proprietary AMMs
- Prediction market buying and selling terminals
- Perpetual markets composability
- Unsecured lending
- Onchain privateness
- Robotics information assortment
- Proof of humanity
- AI improvement instruments.
President and COO Emilie Choi stated, “If you’re constructing in these areas, get in contact,” with Chief Business Officer Shan Aggarwal additionally adding that “the subsequent wave of capital markets innovation might be constructed onchain.“
Venture Funding Surges Despite Market Volatility
The funding priorities come as crypto venture funding roared back in the third quarter, hitting $4.65 billion, the second-highest degree since FTX’s collapse despatched shockwaves by way of the trade in late 2022.
The 290% surge from Q2 displays the strongest quarter since early 2023’s $4.8 billion tally, in accordance with Galaxy Digital information.
Capital flowed primarily into stablecoins, AI-driven crypto instruments, blockchain infrastructure, and buying and selling know-how all through the quarter.
Despite the headline leap, deployment remained closely concentrated throughout 414 enterprise offers, with simply seven accounting for half of all cash invested.
Revolut led with a $1 billion spherical, adopted by Kraken’s $500 million and Erebor’s $250 million.
Galaxy’s head of analysis, Alex Thorn, mentioned the rebound reveals enterprise urge for food for digital-asset startups stays stronger than anticipated, although exercise stays under the 2021-2022 bull-market tempo.
The United States captured 47% of invested capital and 40% of accomplished offers, with Thorn anticipating “US dominance to extend, notably now that the GENIUS Act is legislation and particularly if Congress can go a crypto market construction invoice.“
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