Yat Siu, co-founder of Animoca Brands, said on January 18, 2026, that the cryptocurrency market’s so-called “Trump moment” has officially come to an end.
According to Siu, the politically driven optimism that dominated much of 2025 failed to translate into the sweeping regulatory shifts many investors had priced in.
He argued that last year became a “Trump year” largely in narrative terms, with markets chasing headlines and expectations of fast-tracked policy changes. Those bets, however, did not materialize at the scale required to sustain speculative momentum into 2026.
From Political Narratives to Market Structure
Siu believes the market is now undergoing a clear transition away from headline-driven trading. In his view, 2026 will be shaped by deeper structural forces, including institutional participation, real-world adoption, and maturing market infrastructure.
As institutional capital becomes more embedded, Bitcoin’s role is increasingly solidifying as a reserve-style asset, often compared to digital gold. This shift, Siu noted, places new pressure on altcoins. Rather than relying on speculative cycles, projects will need to demonstrate tangible utility and sustainable use cases to remain relevant.
Regulation and Institutional Onboarding
Siu also pointed to emerging U.S. legislative efforts, including the Clarity Act and the GENIUS Act, as critical developments for the next phase of market growth. He said clearer compliance frameworks are essential for attracting traditional financial institutions, which require regulatory certainty before deploying significant capital.
In this environment, compliance is no longer a constraint but a catalyst. Projects aligned with regulatory clarity are better positioned to access institutional liquidity and long-term adoption.
Crypto and AI Convergence
Another major theme highlighted by Siu is the growing convergence between blockchain technology and artificial intelligence. He described blockchains as an emerging “trust layer” for autonomous AI systems, enabling verification, ownership, and coordination in environments where machines increasingly interact without human oversight.
Animoca’s Public Market Ambitions
Reflecting this broader shift toward institutionalization, Siu confirmed that Animoca Brands plans to go public in 2026 through a reverse merger with Currenc Group. The move would position the company for a listing on Nasdaq, offering public market investors a liquid proxy for exposure to the broader altcoin and Web3 ecosystem.
Taken together, Siu’s comments frame 2026 as a year where crypto moves beyond political hype and into a phase defined by structure, regulation, and real economic integration.