Markets Share Share this article Copy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail Famed Coinbase backer Fred Wilson predicts 2 Markets Share Share this article Copy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail Famed Coinbase backer Fred Wilson predicts 2

Famed Coinbase backer Fred Wilson predicts 2026 UX pivot for crypto

Share
Share this article
Copy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmail

Famed Coinbase backer Fred Wilson predicts 2026 UX pivot for crypto

The VC mogul has previously said crypto apps must hide blockchain complexity or risk missing mass-market adoption.

By Helene Braun, AI Boost|Edited by Cheyenne Ligon
Jan 5, 2026, 5:49 p.m.
(Noam Galai/Getty Images for TechCrunch)

What to know:

  • Fred Wilson predicts crypto will become more user-friendly in 2026.
  • Wilson, who was an early investor in Coinbase, wrote his first post about bitcoin in 2011, calling it an "interesting investment opportunity."

Fred Wilson, one of the most influential venture capitalists in the U.S., thinks crypto’s breakthrough moment in 2026 won’t come from new blockchains — but from making them invisible to their end users.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Sign me up

“Blockchains disappear behind better consumer interfaces that allow users to use, spend, trade, and send tokens without concerning themselves with which blockchain they are on,” Wilson, who called bitcoin BTC$93,949.62 an "interesting investment opportunity" back in 2011, wrote in a blog post published last week.

The prediction, tucked into a longer set of Wilson's tech forecasts for 2026, reflects a view he has held for years: blockchain’s promise depends on ease of use, not technical horsepower.

Wilson is a founding partner of Union Square Ventures (USV), the New York-based VC firm behind early bets on Twitter, Etsy, and Tumblr. In crypto, he was early to Coinbase (COIN), Ethereum ETH$3,200.30, and Filecoin FIL$1.6021, and remains a consistent voice in long-term conversations about how blockchain could reshape the internet.

Wilson, who has often described blockchains as the “next big thing” after social and mobile, has also been openly critical of the crypto industry’s worst habits. He’s pushed back against the culture of hype and token speculation, warning that short-term greed threatens the long-term credibility of the space.

That real work, in Wilson’s view, includes things like decentralized identity, peer-to-peer finance, and open protocols that anyone can build on.

In past posts, he’s compared the current state of crypto to the early internet, when even sending an email required a level of technical know-how.

The path forward, he seems to believe, lies in better design. Apps should handle the infrastructure details — like what chain a transaction is on — in the background, so that users can focus on what they want to do, not how they’re doing it.

For Wilson, this isn’t just a UX issue — it’s the difference between crypto staying a niche technology and achieving broad adoption.

Fred Wilson
AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.

More For You

KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

Commissioned byKuCoin

KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.

What to know:

  • KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
  • This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
  • Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
  • Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
  • Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
View Full Report

More For You

Filecoin surges 6%, outperforms wider crypto markets

The storage token outperformed the broader crypto market during a volatile session.

What to know:

  • FIL jumped 6% on Monday to $1.59 outpacing the broader crypto market.
  • The CoinDesk 20 index was 2.2% higher.
Read full story
Latest Crypto News

Filecoin surges 6%, outperforms wider crypto markets

Tom Lee calls for a new bitcoin ATH in January, while warning of a volatile 2026

BNB token ticks higher as technical upgrades frame tight price compression

Goldman Sachs sees regulation driving next wave of institutional crypto adoption

Robinhood leaning into advanced traders as crypto volatility reshapes user behavior

Bitcoin rally masks fragile liquidity as spot volumes hit year-long lows

Top Stories

Tom Lee calls for a new bitcoin ATH in January, while warning of a volatile 2026

Bitcoin eyes $94,000 as crypto prices manage early U.S. gains for second straight session

Goldman Sachs sees regulation driving next wave of institutional crypto adoption

Bitcoin rally masks fragile liquidity as spot volumes hit year-long lows

Crypto wallet firm Ledger faces customer data breach through payment processor Global-e

Memecoin comeback talk builds as DOGE, SHIB, BONK rally in early 2026

Market Opportunity
Fred Logo
Fred Price(FRED)
$0.0006179
$0.0006179$0.0006179
-9.43%
USD
Fred (FRED) Live Price Chart
Disclaimer: The articles reposted on this site are sourced from public platforms and are provided for informational purposes only. They do not necessarily reflect the views of MEXC. All rights remain with the original authors. If you believe any content infringes on third-party rights, please contact service@support.mexc.com for removal. MEXC makes no guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content and is not responsible for any actions taken based on the information provided. The content does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, nor should it be considered a recommendation or endorsement by MEXC.

You May Also Like

Vitalik Buterin Withdraws 16,384 ETH to Fund Open-Source Technology and Privacy Projects

Vitalik Buterin Withdraws 16,384 ETH to Fund Open-Source Technology and Privacy Projects

TLDR: Buterin withdrew 16,384 ETH to personally fund open-source projects as Ethereum Foundation reduces spending.  The initiative supports secure hardware, privacy
Share
Blockonomi2026/01/30 16:39
What is the most promising crypto right now? A practical checklist

What is the most promising crypto right now? A practical checklist

Crypto interest often spikes after headlines. This guide helps everyday readers turn curiosity into repeatable checks that limit obvious execution risks. We focus
Share
Coinstats2026/01/30 15:52
Inside Upexi’s SOL play: staking yield and locked token deals

Inside Upexi’s SOL play: staking yield and locked token deals

The post Inside Upexi’s SOL play: staking yield and locked token deals appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com. Upexi is the largest public company holding Solana tokens and uses a SOL strategy to build its holdings and generate additional revenue through staking. In an interview with crypto.news, Upexi CEO Allan Marshall explains why the company executed a large equity private placement to build a crypto treasury, citing MicroStrategy’s playbook and a more accommodating U.S. policy backdrop. Summary Upexi is the largest public holder of Solana, using equity raises to build a SOL treasury and earn staking yield. Upexi CEO Allan Marshall spoke with crypto.news in an interview. Corporate strategy focuses on accretive issuances, staking, and discounted locked SOL purchases, not venture investing. Upexi markets itself as a “new institutional gateway to Solana’s (SOL) speed, scale, and rapidly growing ecosystem.” But it isn’t alone, as it joins a handful of rival companies also building Solana treasuries, while dozens of other public entities are focusing on other coins. Speaking to crypto.news, Marshall discusses strategy and market perception. He notes that Upexi is focused on accretive capital raises, staking, and discounted, locked SOL purchases rather than venture investing. He also discusses how the company measures progress through an “adjusted SOL per share” metric designed to remove timing and leverage effects. We also discuss the company’s risk management strategies, which include a buy-and-hold approach, no hedging, disciplined use of leverage, and custody with qualified providers. The entire interview transcript is below: crypto.news: Upexi is now the largest corporate holder of Solana with over 2 million SOL in treasury. Why did you make such a dramatic shift now? Was there something specific that happened in the past few months that gave you the confidence to commit so heavily to a crypto treasury at this time? Allan Marshall: Upexi did the first large-scale equity private placement to create an altcoin treasury, and there were…
Share
BitcoinEthereumNews2025/09/20 02:51