PwC Maps 6 Global Regulatory Trends Shaping Crypto in 2026

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) reports that regulatory clarity is no longer the main obstacle for crypto, noting a global trend toward regulatory alignment, and outlines six major trends expected by 2026. These trends include stricter enforcement of stablecoin rules regarding reserves and redemption; increased deployment of tokenized money like tokenized bank deposits and wholesale CBDCs; the rise of Real-World Asset (RWA) tokenization; heightened consumer protection expectations for licensed firms concerning marketing and product suitability; clearer institutional guidelines for using digital assets as collateral under frameworks like UMR; and the extension of prudential and operational resilience regimes to crypto intermediaries, treating them similarly to financial market infrastructure. Furthermore, Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is facing increased scrutiny aligned with traditional market conduct norms. Beyond regulation, non-regulatory forces include crypto integration into everyday finance, increased institutional participation, maturing specialized infrastructure, and regionally varied adoption.

(Source：BeInCrypto)