Crypto Predictions from @MonicaLongSF, @Ripple President, January 20 article. 1. Stablecoins: The Default for Global Settlement ➡️Within the next five years, stablecoins (like RLUSD) will become fully integrated into global payment systems—not as an alternative rail, but as the foundational one. ➡️By 2027, I fully expect financial institutions to tap into the power of regulated stablecoins for 24/7 collateral mobility in capital markets use cases. 2. Institutional Crypto Exposure Goes Mainstream ➡️By the end of 2026, balance sheets will hold over $1 trillion in digital assets, and roughly half of Fortune 500 companies will have formalized digital asset strategies. ➡️As crypto exposure becomes normalized, capital markets will follow. In 2026, collateral mobility will emerge as a top institutional use case, with custodian banks and clearing houses adopting tokenization to modernize settlement. Expect 5–10% of capital markets settlement to move onchain, driven by regulatory momentum and the adoption of stablecoins by systemically important institutions. 3. The Great Custody Consolidation ➡️I expect more than half of the world’s top 50 banks to formalize at least one new custody relationship in 2026. 4. The Convergence of Blockchain and AI ➡️Stablecoins and smart contracts will enable treasuries to manage liquidity, execute margin calls and optimize yield across onchain repo agreements, all in real-time without manual intervention. Asset managers will use AI models alongside blockchain infrastructure to dynamically rebalance exposure to tokenized assets and stablecoin yield protocols, fully leveraging the 24/7 nature of onchain markets. A Defining Year for Institutional Crypto The industry has leveled up. And this time, the momentum is being driven by finance leaders that are building for the long term. Stablecoins will power global settlement. Tokenized assets will sit on institutional balance sheets. Custody will anchor trust. And blockchain — increasingly paired with AI — will automate operations that today hold markets back. Ultimately, 2026 will be remembered as the year crypto became foundational to the world’s financial infrastructure. https://ripple.com/insights/2026-crypto-predictions/(Leonidas)