Coinbase Ventures eyes RWA perpetuals, AI in 2026 investment outlook

Coinbase Ventures has outlined its 2026 investment focus, emphasizing opportunities in real-world-asset (RWA) perpetuals, specialized exchanges, advanced DeFi, and the convergence of crypto with AI and robotics. The firm sees RWA perpetuals as crucial for synthetic exposure to off-chain assets, allowing sophisticated traders to express macro views beyond simple long positions on digital assets. In trading, they favor specialized exchanges like Solana's "Prop-AMMs" and unified terminals for fragmented prediction markets. For DeFi, key growth areas include composable perpetual markets, unsecured onchain credit based on reputation, and privacy-preserving technologies. Furthermore, Coinbase anticipates 2026 as a defining year for smart contract development, where AI agents could automate code generation, enabling non-technical founders to launch onchain businesses quickly. These priorities align with Coinbase's recent investments in stablecoin infrastructure (Bastion) and user-owned data networks (Vana).

(Source：The Block)