Expectations for Altcoin Rally in 2026: Barclays' Bear Market Scenario

ZenZKPlayer · 2026-01-13T08:23:29+00:00

Barclays warns that without a significant growth catalyst, the crypto market will remain stagnant in 2026, despite potential long-term growth from tokenization and regulatory clarity. Current liquidity issues and declining retail participation are concerning.

ZenZKPlayer

2026-01-13 08:23:29

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Barclays, which presents realistic expectations for the cryptocurrency market in 2026, warns that the market will remain stagnant unless there is a fundamental growth catalyst. The analysis report indicates that declining trading volumes and weakening retail participants point to broader liquidity issues.

Revenue Pressure on Major Platforms

The decline in the spot trading market has directly impacted the core revenue streams of established exchanges like Coinbase and Robinhood. These two platforms and similar players are facing a decrease in trading fees, which is seen as a clear indicator that overall market activity is slowing down.

Regulatory Clarity and Market Expectations

While the CLARITY Act has long promised legal clarity in the crypto sector, these provisions are not expected to give the market a boost in the short term. Barclays emphasizes that resolving regulatory uncertainties is important, but this factor alone will not trigger an altcoin rally.

Additionally, the continued prioritization of anti-terrorism financing measures increases regulatory pressure, but it is estimated that these sanctions will have limited impact on actual market volume.

Long-Term Growth Drivers

Beyond short-term challenges, the tokenization movement and evolving regulatory framework are expected to add significant momentum to the market after 2026. Barclays states that the cumulative effect of these developments will become more apparent in 2027 and beyond.

In conclusion, while the question of when the altcoin rally will begin remains unclear within 2026, the presence of long-term catalysts suggests that the market will not become completely stagnant.

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