Keyrock Highlights 12 Vital Crypto Metrics for 2026 Analysis

Keyrock and Dune have released a "12 Charts to Watch in 2026" dashboard, predicting crypto trends based on market structure, liquidity, value return, and systemically important rails.

Key Metrics for Crypto Investors

Prediction Markets: Weekly volume rose 9.2x in 2025, reaching nearly $5 billion. A 5x increase is expected in 2026, with open interest also rising.
Tokenization: Non-stablecoin onchain RWA AUM increased 3.4x in 2025, projected to grow over 4x in 2026, driven by tokenized cash-like products and private credit.
x402 Protocol: Developed by Coinbase in 2025 for digital service payments using stablecoins, with weekly volume expected to exceed $100 million in 2026.
Onchain Asset Management: Vault AUM predicted to triple to $36 billion by end-2026, with major broker-dealers offering onchain vaults.
Derivatives: The DEX-to-CEX futures trading ratio grew from 6.34% to 21% in 2025. Onchain perp OI aim exceeds $50 billion in 2026.
Value Return: Buyback programs predicted to double 2025 levels, shifting towards value-aware execution models.
Solana MEV: Transition from tip-based spikes to explicit execution pricing via Block Assembly Marketplace (BAM).
Privacy Proxy: Shielded ZEC deposits forecasted to rise from 4.9 million to over 7 million by end-2026. Ethereum blobs expected to establish a fee floor.
Crypto Payments: Monthly crypto card spend could hit $500 million at least once in 2026.
TradFi Integration: Spot BTC ETF AUM expected to surpass 2.5 million BTC, with positive net inflows in at least eight months of 2026.
Stablecoin Funding: Aave's USDC borrow APY volatility projected to decrease significantly, supporting longer-duration strategies.

As of now, the total crypto market cap is $3.25 trillion.

Total crypto market cap chart