The founder of The Gummies project and analyst collaborating with Solana Foundation, known by the nickname gum, published a detailed opinion on where to seek the main opportunities for capital growth in 2026. He emphasized that covering all narratives simultaneously is practically impossible, so investors and market participants should focus on directions with the greatest potential. Gum listed several priority sectors and explained why each deserves attention, noting that his forecasts should be viewed as a perspective rather than an exact roadmap. The article highlights a combination of technological trends and changes in political attitudes toward the crypto industry; for comparison, see the 2026 forecast by other analysts.
Introduction to the 2026 Crypto Market Analysis
Gum is presented as the founder of The Gummies and an analyst collaborating with Solana Foundation; his review focuses on practical points for capital growth. He stresses the limitation of resources and the need to choose directions where chances for significant growth are higher. The main themes include privacy, DeFi and TradFi integration, prediction markets, AI and crypto intersection, and consumer applications.
Privacy as a Key Growth Sector
Gum highlights privacy as one of the main directions: the need for confidentiality becomes noticeable when it is threatened. He notes that modern AI systems know more about users than older platforms, and states increasingly normalize mass data access under the guise of security. As a result, privacy, in his view, is transforming from a basic right into a paid service, already evident in examples from major social networks.
DeFi and TradFi: A New Phase of Development
Gum points out that in 2025, political attitudes toward the crypto industry changed significantly, with regulators beginning to see it as part of the financial infrastructure. This shift strengthens the role of technology over speculative expectations and opens the way for DeFi and TradFi integration. He estimates that active integration will begin in 2026, creating demand for lending infrastructure, liquidity, derivatives, and stablecoins; similar conclusions can be found in the 2025 lessons article.
Prediction Markets and Their Potential
Gum separately highlights prediction markets as a segment with a growing role: platforms Kalshi and Polymarket have already attracted hundreds of millions in investments with valuations exceeding $10 billion. Such services are increasingly cited by public figures and used as sources of information and hedging, which, according to the analyst, opens new ways to monetize users' knowledge and interests. Gum suggests that in 2026 these projects might go public or launch their own tokens.
The Intersection of AI and Cryptocurrencies
Discussing AI and blockchain interaction, the analyst notes the sector's evolution: from decentralized compute markets to experiments with agents and on-chain economies. This development changes the nature of applications and economic models on blockchain, attracting new types of experiments and products. Gum sees this direction as one of the promising layers for long-term bets within the ecosystem.
Consumer Applications and Their Challenges
In conclusion, the expert draws attention to consumer applications, noting them as the most challenging sector for investment. According to him, the high level of noise and competition complicates choosing promising projects and increases investment risks in mass-market products. Therefore, caution and more thorough signal filtering are required when selecting such directions.
Why This Matters
If you mine from one to a thousand devices in Russia, these sectors may not directly change your daily operations, but they influence the ecosystem you work in. DeFi and TradFi integration, as well as growth in prediction markets and privacy services, may eventually affect demand for infrastructure, liquidity, and payment solutions you use. Understanding these trends will help make more informed decisions about asset diversification and participation in new services.
What to Do?
Practical recommendations for miners with small or medium equipment fleets—brief and to the point. These steps will help reduce risks and stay flexible in a changing environment without deep investments in new segments.
- Stay updated on privacy news and update software; this will help maintain data control and reduce operational risks.
- Diversify income: consider not only spot sales of mined cryptocurrencies but also simple ways to participate in liquidity or stablecoins if accessible and understandable.
- Evaluate prediction services and new products carefully: focus on their practical usefulness for your activities rather than hype around valuations and funding.
- Don’t try to cover everything at once—focus on directions you understand and allocate small resources to test new services.
- Maintain reserves: technical and regulatory changes can be abrupt, so keep financial and operational safety cushions.