According to the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), regulatory clarity is no longer the main obstacle in the development of the crypto ecosystem.
In the latest report, the company observes that global crypto regulation is increasingly resembling one another and identifies 6 major trends for 2026.
PwC identifies significant global regulatory trends for the crypto industry in 2026
The first major trend concerns stablecoins. PwC explains that the industry is shifting its focus from establishing frameworks to enforcing them. Regulators are now imposing stricter rules regarding reserves, redemption rights, governance, and transparency.
In some regions, authorities are also implementing limits on the amount that can be held to reduce the risks of rapid outflows.
“Central banks will test how system-stablecoins and payment services can work together,” the report states.
Secondly, the report sees significant progress in the area of tokenized money. Tokenized bank deposits, tokenized cash, and large-scale central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are moving from pilot projects to broader applications.
PwC notes that policymakers prioritize cross-border settlement systems that combine tokenized assets with connected national payment networks.
In a broader sense, tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) has become an important theme in 2026. The sector expects substantial growth in this area. This trend was also clearly visible during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, where RWA tokenization was the most recurring and notable trend in all discussions surrounding crypto.
Thirdly, PwC sees consumer protection as a new main topic within regulation. The report states that regulated companies face stricter requirements regarding marketing, suitability of products, and results for the customer.
“Obligations regarding financial promotion and product management are being integrated into crypto licenses. Regulated companies must demonstrate that they provide fair value, employ clear marketing, test products for suitability, and ensure complaint procedures for customers,” according to PwC.
Fourthly, at the institutional level, use cases are expanding as regulators clarify how digital assets can be used as permissible collateral, for example, under the UMR rules.
If these assets meet requirements for liquidity, valuation, storage, operational resilience, and legal enforceability, approval becomes increasingly attainable. This enables broader use of tokenized and certain crypto-assets as collateral and in derivatives for institutions.
The fifth report signals stricter requirements for crypto intermediaries. According to PwC,
“Crypto exchanges, custodians, and stablecoin issuers are now subject to extensive supervisory frameworks for stability and operational resilience. Regulators impose requirements on capital, segregation of funds, liquidity, and recovery plans comparable to those for financial infrastructures.”
Finally, PwC states that decentralized finance is increasingly being assessed under the same rules as traditional markets. Regulators are now also emphasizing market integrity, transparency, supervision, and conflict management for centralized and on-chain platforms. This indicates a global convergence in terms of rules and behavior.
Forces influencing crypto outside regulation
Beyond these regulatory trends, the report also points out other influences shaping the current crypto sector: