According to accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), regulatory clarity is no longer the central barrier in the crypto ecosystem’s evolution.
In its latest report, the firm observed that global crypto regulation is moving toward greater alignment and identified 6 major trends for 2026.
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PwC Identifies Key Global Regulatory Trends for the Crypto Industry in 2026
The first key trend concerns stablecoins. PwC highlighted that the industry is shifting focus from drafting frameworks to enforcing them. Regulators are imposing binding rules around reserves, redemption rights, governance, and disclosures.
In some regions, authorities are also introducing holding limits to reduce risks associated with rapid outflows.
Second, the report highlighted growing momentum around tokenized money. Tokenized bank deposits, tokenized cash equivalents, and wholesale central bank digital currencies are moving beyond pilot programs toward broader deployment.
PwC observed that policymakers are prioritizing cross-border settlement systems that combine tokenized assets with interoperable national payment networks.
More broadly, real-world asset (RWA) tokenization has emerged as a key theme in 2026, with industry participants projecting significant growth. This trend was also evident at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where tokenization of RWAs stood out as the most consistent and prominent theme across crypto-related discussions.
Third, PwC identified consumer protection as another major regulatory focus. The report stated that licensed firms will face stricter expectations around marketing practices, product suitability, and customer outcomes.
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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 UMR.
As long as these assets meet requirements around liquidity, valuation, custody, operational resilience, and legal enforceability, approval is becoming more achievable. This supports wider institutional use of tokenized and select crypto assets in collateral and derivatives markets.
Fifth, the report also signals tougher expectations for crypto intermediaries. According to PwC,
Finally, PwC added that decentralized finance is increasingly being assessed through the same lens as traditional markets. Regulators are extending expectations around market integrity, transparency, surveillance, and conflict management to both centralized and on-chain trading environments, signaling a convergence toward global conduct norms.
The Forces Influencing Crypto Beyond Regulation
Beyond regulatory trends, the report also draws attention to the non-regulatory forces shaping the current state of crypto:
- Crypto is becoming part of everyday finance: It is increasingly used to move and settle money through stablecoins, tokenized cash, and on-chain payments.
- Institutional participation has crossed reversibility: Major financial institutions and corporates are integrating digital assets into core systems and operations.
- Infrastructure is maturing and specializing: The industry is shifting toward modular services with higher standards for security, reliability, and interoperability.
- Local realities shape adoption: Despite global networks, crypto use varies by region, driven by economic needs and financial infrastructure.
Source: https://beincrypto.com/pwc-crypto-global-regulation-trends-2026/
