2026 Crypto Predictions: Why It All Gets Boring
Crypto doesn’t win in 2026 by being louder - it wins by becoming boring.
In this episode of MoneyNeverSleeps, Pete Townsend is joined by Alejandro Gutierrez for a sharp set of 2026 predictions on where crypto, onchain finance, and AI actually go next, as the hype keeps fading and the infrastructure takes over.
This is Alejandro’s 11th appearance on the show, and the first in the new era of MoneyNeverSleeps: sharper, faster, and YouTube-led.We break down:
🧱 Why the next onchain breakout won’t look like a product, but a primitive
🤖 Why blockchains weren’t built for humans — and why AI agents may be the real users
🔐 Why privacy is coming back, driven by institutions and regulators, not consumers
⚛️ How quantum risk is moving from theory to something protocols must address now
💳 Why HTTP 402 and internet-native payments will finally resurface for the modern web.
Alejandro brings deep experience from the Solana ecosystem and years in crypto, DeFi, and fintech, offering a grounded view on what’s maturing, what’s misunderstood, and what actually matters heading into 2026.If you care about where crypto is heading beyond price action — infrastructure, AI, privacy, RWAs, and the future of onchain finance — this is a sharp, 13-minute deep dive worth your time.
⏱️ Chapters / Timestamps
00:00 – Cold open and intro
00:46 – Why infrastructure enables the next onchain wave
02:18 – Stablecoins, tokenized treasuries, and “boring” finance
03:12 – Why blockchains weren’t built for humans
04:05 – AI agents as native onchain users
04:45 – Privacy comes back (but not for the reasons you think)
07:48 – TradFi moving onchain and the privacy trade-offs
08:41 – Quantum risk and post-quantum signatures
11:03 – HTTP 402, stablecoins, and payments
12:47 – Final thoughts and wrap
📺 Watch On
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5exseZHBkY
🎧 Listen On
Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4F8uOLxiscYVWVGEfNxTnd
Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/moneyneversleeps/id1455819294
🧠 About MoneyNeverSleeps
MoneyNeverSleeps is a weekly show where smart people bring one big idea — and Pete Townsend breaks it down in under 15 minutes. Featuring founders, operators, and investors shaping crypto, fintech, AI, and onchain finance. After 300+ long-form episodes, the show has evolved into a sharper, faster format built for a world where insights need to travel quickly.
Sharp riffs, big ideas, real insights. Hosted by Pete Townsend.
🌐 Website: https://www.moneyneversleeps.ie/
