a16z Crypto: Cryptocurrency Enters 'Infrastructure Era', Predicts Market Forecasting and Verifiable Computing Will Reshape Market

a16z Crypto stated in a new outlook report that the next stage of industry development this year will no longer depend primarily on the emergence of new blockchains, but more on how the technology reshapes markets, computing infrastructure, and media fields. a16z Crypto predicts that by 2026, the forecasting market will be larger, broader, and more complex with the integration of predictive markets, crypto tech, and AI; the growth in the next stage will involve not only more contracts, but also better ways to resolve truth determination issues in dispute outcomes. Additionally, 2026 may be a turning point for the expansion of cryptographic proofs into non-blockchain industries, as advancements in zero-knowledge virtual machine technology significantly reduce the cost of generating proofs, making verifiable computing a viable solution in cloud CPU workloads and even on consumer-grade devices. Meanwhile, as the forecasting market expands, cryptographic proofs are integrated into enterprise systems, and 'real money investment' in the financial sector becomes a new cornerstone of trust, the industry will undergo transformation. Driven by progress in cryptography, AI, and market design, native cryptographic tools are increasingly penetrating many industries beyond decentralized finance, with blockchain serving as underlying infrastructure rather than as standalone application scenarios or end goals. (The Block)

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