Coinbase Ventures, the venture capital arm of the renowned crypto exchange Coinbase, has unveiled its investment outlook for 2026, highlighting significant opportunities in RWA perpetuals and the integration of AI. This strategic focus aims to enhance the crypto landscape by intersecting digital assets with real-world applications.
RWA Perpetuals: A Game-Changer
One of the primary goals for Coinbase Ventures is to broaden the scope of RWA perpetuals, venturing beyond traditional crypto assets. In a recent blog post, the company explained that perpetual futures allow synthetic exposure to offchain assets, ranging from private enterprises to macroeconomic data, without the necessity of securing the underlying asset.
As crypto becomes more intertwined with macroeconomic markets, sophisticated traders are eager to express diverse viewpoints beyond merely holding digital assets. According to Kinji Steimetz, an associate at Coinbase Ventures, there is an increasing demand for macro asset exposure onchain. This enables traders to hedge or position themselves using instruments linked to oil, inflation breakevens, credit spreads, and volatility.
Exploring Specialized Exchanges
In the trading arena, Coinbase Ventures is interested in specialized exchanges, including “Prop-AMMs” on Solana. These are designed to shield liquidity providers from toxic flows. Additionally, Coinbase is monitoring trading terminals for prediction markets, where fragmentation has heightened the need for unified trading platforms, as noted by Jonathan King, Senior Manager of Investments at Coinbase Ventures.
DeFi Innovations for 2026
Looking towards 2026, Coinbase Ventures has identified key growth areas in DeFi. This includes the evolution of composable perpetual markets, where traders can earn yields on collateral while maintaining leveraged positions. Furthermore, the potential of unsecured onchain credit, particularly reputation-based lending, could tap into the massive $1.3 trillion unsecured credit market in the U.S.
The demand for privacy technology in DeFi is also on the rise. Users are seeking solutions that ensure confidentiality in order flow, borrowing, lending, and payments without sacrificing verifiability.
The Intersection of Crypto, AI, and Robotics
Beyond financial infrastructure, Coinbase Ventures sees 2026 as a pivotal year for the convergence of crypto, AI, and robotics. The team anticipates that smart contract development will be revolutionized by AI agents, allowing non-technical founders to swiftly launch onchain businesses through automated code generation and security monitoring.
This strategic vision aligns with Coinbase Ventures’ recent investments, including a $14.6 million lead in stablecoin infrastructure firm Bastion and a $5 million round in the user-owned data network Vana. Additionally, Coinbase participated in the fundraising efforts of crypto payments firm Mesh.
With these innovative pursuits, Coinbase Ventures is set to shape the future of the crypto industry, driving growth and integration with traditional markets.
