Expert Says Crypto Tokens Set for a Stronger Economic Role Ahead of 2026

Crypto tokens may soon gain stronger economic footing due to new rules and system upgrades. This could potentially drive sharp price moves in 2026, according to Bitwise chief investment officer Matt Hougan.

In an X post on Saturday, Hougan said that recent market turbulence has masked deeper changes in how digital assets are structured. Many older tokens were built during a time when strong economic ties to their networks carried regulatory risk. This left them with loose governance-style designs that did little for holders.

He said the newer rulebook is changing that pattern for crypto projects to attach clearer economy to their tokens. Hougan expects this shift to become more visible in 2026 as major projects update their models.

One example he highlighted is Uniswap’s native token, UNI, which jumped earlier this month after the Uniswap Foundation and Uniswap Labs advanced a proposal aimed at reshaping the token’s role. Ideas include adding a fee system that would burn tokens and introducing a new auction design intended to improve returns for those who supply liquidity.

Hougan called UNI one of the clearest cases of a crypto token trying to strengthen its economic structure. He said the long-standing complaint about UNI has been its narrow role, with activity on the exchange prociding little direct upside for holders. 

If the proposed update is approved, about 16% of trading fees would be used to burn UNI. Hougan believes this could eventually push UNI into the top ten by market value.

Ethereum Could Boost Crypto Market Recovery

Hougan also pointed to Ethereum’s upcoming Fusaka update as a key spark for token-related change. The upgrade, expected to go live in December, includes adjustments to the execution layer and refinements to the staking model.

He said the market has not fully acknowledged how these upgrades could reshape Ethereum’s economic structure. If the launch takes place on December 3 as planned, he expects traders to pay closer attention. Hougan views the update as a core reason ETH could guide a broader recovery across the crypto sector.

XRP Developments Add to the Trend

Ripple’s XRP may also be heading toward a stronger economic role. Hougan noted growing discussion around adding staking features, which would change its reward model and how holders engage with the network.

He said the wider theme across all of these projects is the same. The economic framework behind many crypto tokens is changing, and that change is accelerating.