**[a16z Crypto: Crypto Enters the "Infrastructure Era," Prediction Markets, Verifiable Computing, and Staking Media to Reshape 2026]** Odaily Planet Daily News – a16z Crypto stated in its new outlook report that the next phase of industry development this year will no longer primarily depend on the emergence of new blockchains but rather on how the technology reshapes markets, computing infrastructure, and the media sector. a16z Crypto predicts that, with the integration of prediction markets, crypto technologies, and artificial intelligence, prediction markets will become larger in scale, broader in scope, and more complex by 2026. The next phase of growth will not only involve more contracts but also address truth determination in disputed outcomes in better ways. Additionally, 2026 could mark a turning point for crypto proofs expanding into non-blockchain industries. Advances in zero-knowledge virtual machine technology are significantly reducing the cost of generating proofs, making verifiable computing a feasible solution for cloud CPU workloads and eventually for consumer-grade devices. Meanwhile, as prediction markets scale up, crypto proofs integrate into enterprise systems, and "real money investment" in the financial sector becomes the new cornerstone of trust, the industry is poised for transformation. Driven by advancements in cryptography, artificial intelligence, and market design, crypto-native tools are increasingly penetrating industries beyond decentralized finance, with blockchain serving as underlying infrastructure rather than as standalone application scenarios or end goals. (The Block)