PANews reported on January 18th that, according to CoinDesk, Chris Kuiper, Vice President of Research at Fidelity Digital Assets, stated in an interview that digital assets are quietly and irreversibly transforming from a niche experiment into a structural layer of finance, and 2026 could be the year the wider market finally takes notice. Kuiper believes that digital assets are entering their "container moment," comparing it to standardized metal containers that revolutionized global trade by transforming ports, logistics, and supply chains. He stated that the same thing is happening in the financial sector.

A Fidelity research report points out that despite a lackluster price chart in 2025, the industry has been quietly reshaping infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and institutional workflows, laying the groundwork for a breakout year in 2026. This evolution is largely happening behind the scenes, through regulated products, custody solutions, and institutional strategies. Kuiper adds that last year every major bank announced its intention to build some form of capability in the digital asset space. He believes 2025 will be the first year in history that market participants stop declaring Bitcoin “dead,” symbolizing broader acceptance.