Yat Siu, co-founder of Animoca Brands, declared on January 18, 2026, that the cryptocurrency market's politically-driven "Trump moment" has officially concluded. According to Siu, the optimism fueled by Donald Trump's 2025 election victory and expectations of swift, favorable regulatory changes failed to materialize into the broad policy shifts that markets had priced in. He characterized 2025 as a "Trump year" largely in narrative terms, where trading was driven by headlines and speculation about fast-tracked permissions.
The market is now undergoing a clear transition away from headline-driven trading, Siu argued. He believes 2026 will be defined by deeper structural forces: increasing institutional participation, real-world adoption, and maturing market infrastructure. As institutional capital becomes more embedded, Bitcoin's role is solidifying as a reserve-style asset, akin to digital gold. This shift places new pressure on altcoins, which will need to demonstrate tangible utility and sustainable use cases rather than rely on speculative cycles to remain relevant.
Siu highlighted emerging U.S. legislative efforts, such as the Clarity Act and the GENIUS Act, as critical for the next phase of market growth. He stated that clearer compliance frameworks are essential to attract traditional financial institutions, which require regulatory certainty before deploying significant capital. In this new environment, compliance is transforming from a constraint into a catalyst for projects aligned with regulatory clarity, granting them better access to institutional liquidity.
Another major theme Siu emphasized is the growing convergence between blockchain technology and artificial intelligence. He described blockchains as an emerging "trust layer" for autonomous AI systems, enabling verification, ownership, and coordination.
Reflecting this institutional shift, Siu confirmed that Animoca Brands plans to go public in 2026 via a reverse merger with Currenc Group, targeting a Nasdaq listing. This move would offer public market investors a liquid proxy for exposure to the altcoin and Web3 ecosystem.
