Web3 in Review: Maturity, Not Mania

As we move into the beginning of 2026, it is a natural moment to pause and reflect on how the Web3 and blockchain market has evolved over the past year. Stepping back from the day-to-day noise reveals changes that are easy to miss in real time — but significant in hindsight.

Today, Vytautas Kašėta, Executive Director of SUPER HOW Group (SH Group) shares his insights about how the market has developed throughout the 2025 year and what we could expect the next. As he notes, the loud part of the industry is still there, but they are just a small part of the story. What stands out this year is not another wave of disruption, but something more subtle and more important: the market is maturing.

What Changed in 2025

Here are key insights from Vytautas what have changed last year:

1. Regulation Moved from Overhang to Practical Frameworks

One of the most visible shifts last year has been regulatory clarity in Europe (MiCA, DLT Pilot) and regulatory certainty in the US (GENIUS act, Clarity act, STABLE act, etc.)

Frameworks like the DLT Pilot Regime are no longer abstract policy discussions. They are being used by regulated institutions to test how blockchain and distributed ledger technologies can support real capital market infrastructure – from issuance to trading and settlement.

At the same time, MiCA regulation has provided companies with clearer expectations around governance, transparency, and stablecoins. This does not eliminate risk, but it does create a shared rulebook. Serious market participation is around the corner?

The result made a noticeable change in tone: fewer “regulation vs innovation” debates, and more practical conversations about implementation.

2. Stablecoins Proved Their Value Beyond Speculation

Last year reinforced what many in the industry already suspected: stablecoins are no longer a niche crypto product.

They are being used at scale for:

• Cross-border payments

• Corporate treasury management

• Settlement between financial institutions

• Fintech payment flows

What is important is not just usage, but acceptance. Regulators, banks, and payment providers are increasingly treating stablecoins as financial instruments that need clear standards – not as experimental tokens.

That shift marks a move from early adoption to infrastructure thinking.

3. Tokenization Became Less Talk, More Execution

Another notable change has been the way conversations around tokenization have evolved.

In the past, tokenizing real-world assets (RWA) often sounded like a future vision. It was loud but still it sounded like from sci-fi movie. This year, as we noticed, it became more operational. Financial institutions are issuing tokenized bonds, funds, and cash-like instruments in controlled environments.

Vytautas Kašėta

The focus has moved away from disruption narratives and toward efficiency:

• Faster settlement

• Lower operational complexity

• Better transparency

This is not about replacing traditional finance. It is about modernizing parts of it.

Ongoing Issues in a Maturing Market

Unfortunately, though market is maturing, scams and poorly designed projects still exist, and they always will, in any open financial system.

What has changed is their position in the market. They are increasingly concentrating at the edges, while the core of the ecosystem – payments, regulated issuance, enterprise use – is moving in a more structured and professional direction.

At the same time, usability and fragmentation remain real challenges. Wallets, networks, standards, and security still need improvement.

What This Tells Us About Market Maturity

Looking back at the last year, the pattern is visible:

• Less hype-driven growth

• More regulated experimentation

• More institutional involvement

• More focus on real-world use cases

This is what a market looks like when it transitions from early innovation to long-term relevance.

What to Expect in 2026?

If the current trajectory continues, 2026 is likely to bring consolidation rather than explosion.

Here is what the New Year may bring:

1. Stablecoins as Core Financial Infrastructure

Stablecoins will increasingly be embedded into payment systems, treasury tools, and settlement layers – often invisible to end users.

2. Deeper Integration Between TradFi and Web3

Hybrid models will become more common, where regulated assets move on blockchain rails while complying with existing financial rules.

3. Fewer Projects, Higher Standards

Regulatory clarity and institutional requirements will reduce the number of low-quality projects, while strengthening those built for long-term use.

4. A More “Boring” but More Useful Web3

The next phase of growth will not be defined by viral trends or speculative tokens. It will be defined by infrastructure, reliability, and trust.

The Bigger Picture

Looking back, the most important story in Web3 is not what disappeared, but what quietly took shape. A growing view among ecosystem builders is that the next phase of Web3 will be defined less by the speed of innovation and more by better coordination between technology, institutions, and regulation.

If this trajectory continues, 2026 will be less about proving that Web3 works, and more about proving that it can be responsibly integrated at scale.

Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or regulatory advice.