Web3 and Cryptocurrency Shift From Speculative Projects to Practical Financial Infrastructure

At IVS 2026, venture capitalists and legal experts discussed how cryptocurrency markets are maturing beyond speculative "Web3 for Web3's sake" projects toward real-world financial applications. Topics included stablecoin adoption by traditional banks, AI agent integration, evolving regulatory frameworks in Japan (including tax classification changes), and institutional investor participation driven by Bitcoin's four-year cycles. Speakers emphasized that onchain finance represents an irreversible shift with practical infrastructure now anchoring the market.