According to accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), regulatory clarity is no longer the central obstacle to the evolution of the crypto ecosystem.
In its latest report, the company observed that global crypto regulation is moving towards greater alignment and identified 6 major trends for 2026.
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PwC identifies key global regulatory trends for the crypto sector in 2026
The first key trend concerns stablecoins. PwC highlighted that the industry is no longer focused on writing frameworks but rather on implementing them. Regulators impose binding rules regarding reserves, redemption rights, governance and disclosures.
In some regions, authorities are also introducing holding limits to reduce the risks associated with rapid capital outflows.
“Central banks will begin testing interoperability between systemic stablecoins and payment systems,” the report said.
Second, the report highlighted the growing momentum around tokenized money. Tokenized bank deposits, tokenized cash equivalents, and central bank wholesale digital currencies move beyond pilot programs toward broader deployment.
PwC observed that policymakers are prioritizing cross-border settlement systems combining tokenized assets with interoperable national payment networks.
More broadly, the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) has become a key theme in 2026, with industry players forecasting significant growth. This trend was also evident at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where RWA tokenization emerged as the most consistent and important theme in crypto-related discussions.
Third, PwC has identified consumer protection as another major regulatory objective. The report says licensed businesses will face stricter expectations around marketing practices, product suitability and customer outcomes.
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“Financial promotion and product governance obligations are built into crypto licenses. Licensed businesses will be required to demonstrate fair value outcomes, transparent marketing, suitability testing and redress mechanisms for customers,” PwC said.
Fourth, at the institutional level, use cases are also expanding as regulators clarify how digital assets can be approved as eligible collateral under frameworks such as the UMR.
As long as these assets meet the requirements for liquidity, valuation, custody, operational resilience and enforceability, approval becomes more feasible. This supports broader institutional use of tokenized and curated crypto assets in collateral and derivatives markets.
Fifth, the report also signals stricter expectations on crypto intermediaries. According to PwC,
“Cryptocurrency exchanges, custodians and stablecoin issuers are subject to comprehensive prudential and operational resilience regimes. Supervisors apply capital, segregation, liquidity and recovery planning requirements equivalent to financial market infrastructure standards.”
Finally, PwC added that decentralized finance is increasingly being evaluated in the same light as traditional markets. Regulators are extending expectations for integrity, transparency, oversight and conflict management from the market to centralized and on-chain trading environments, signaling a convergence toward global standards of conduct.
Forces influencing crypto beyond regulation
Beyond regulatory trends, the report also draws attention to non-regulatory forces shaping the current state of crypto:
- Crypto is now part of everyday finance: It is increasingly used to move and settle money via stablecoins, tokenized cash, and on-chain payments.
- Institutional participation has gone through reversibility: Large financial institutions and businesses are integrating digital assets into their core systems and operations.
- Infrastructure matures and specializes: The industry is moving towards modular services with higher standards for security, reliability and interoperability.
- Local realities shape adoption: Despite global networks, crypto usage varies by region, depending on economic needs and financial infrastructure.
