Yat Siu: “Tokenize or Die”—Charting Web3’s Course to 2026 and Beyond

As we enter 2026, the crypto industry stands at an inflection point. The regulatory fog that has long shrouded digital assets is finally lifting, institutional players are entering the fray, and the definition of “asset” is being rewritten.

Few people have better luck with these shifts than the co-founder and CEO of Animoka Brands. BeCrypto sat down with Siu to discuss what the new year holds for Web3 – and why he believes companies face a tough choice: tokenize or die.

A new year, a new era for Altcoins

Siu acknowledged that Bitcoin has found its place as “digital gold”, but when 2026 begins, he sees the real action elsewhere. “Most people don't get into crypto by buying bitcoins,” he notes. “They come with tokens that provide some kind of utility — whether that's DeFi, gaming, NFTs, or something else.”

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It's similar to traditional markets: no company comes close to the market value of gold, yet the global stock market is many times lower. “The same dynamic is happening in crypto. And what I'm excited about this year is that the opportunities aren't just in new token launches — they're in established tokens.”

It's a pattern Siu has seen before. “Think about what happened after the dotcom crash. Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Netease – they didn't disappear. They came back stronger. I believe 2026 will start a similar revival for established Web3 players.”

The regulatory transparency of the year has finally arrived

If there's one development Siu will be watching closely this year, it's the fate of the Clarity Act in the US Congress. Building on the foundation established by the GENIUS Act for stablecoins, the CLARITY Act aims to establish clear jurisdictional boundaries between the SEC and the CFTC over digital assets.

“I am confident that the CLARITY Act will pass in 2026,” Siu says. “When it does, it will unleash a wave of adoption the likes of which we've never seen before — from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. The uncertainty that has gripped so many players will finally lift.”

He sees this regulatory transparency as the key to unlocking corporate adoption at scale. “Companies are waiting on the sidelines not because they don't see the potential, but because they can't process the legal ambiguity. This year, that threat will disappear.”

Institutions move from spectators to participants

The introduction of crypto ETFs has made a big difference in recent years, but Siu believes 2026 will be remembered as institutional adoption shifts from experiment to strategy. “What we're seeing now is just the beginning. RWAs and stablecoins will lead the narrative for institutional players this year.”

Real-world asset (RWA) tokens are particularly transformative. “RWAs have delivered what crypto has always promised but struggled to deliver at scale: true financial inclusion. We're talking about crypto wallets becoming a product for the unbanked, previously reserved for the wealthy. This year is where those promises will come true.”

Current estimates suggest that simulated RWAs could reach $30 trillion over the next decade. The adoption of institutional-level frameworks such as the EU's MCA regulation is giving major banks and asset managers the confidence they need to engage with public blockchains. “The infrastructure is in place, the regulation is in place. Now it's about execution.”

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The post-crash playbook repeats

Siu sees clear parallels between now and the years after the dotcom bust. The money cycle has fundamentally evolved. In the early days of Web3, the biggest opportunities were in hotly anticipated token startups. That is not the case.

Today it is becoming common to invest in tokens with liquidity and market presence. “After the dotcom crash, companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Yahoo and eBay didn't just survive – they got much bigger. The same pattern repeats itself on Web3, but with a twist: we see major tech players – Google and the world's metas – entering the space in meaningful ways.

This shift requires a different skill set from investors. “The situation is even more confusing now. It takes more analytical skills to succeed in this environment. The easy money available to catch the next hot startup is largely gone.”

“Everything becomes an asset class.”

Asked for a bold prediction about the coming years, Siu didn't hesitate to say, “Everything will be tokenized as an asset class. Intellectual property, royalties, ad inventory — if it's valuable, it will be tokenized.”

He acknowledges that tokenized RWAs remain fragmented across chains and marketplaces, but he knows he sees consolidation and growth in the future. “The technology is ready. What's missing is regulatory transparency and institutional trust. Both elements are coming into place.”

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There is also a generational dimension to this change. “As the internet and social media have defined the divide of older generations, crypto is becoming the treasure of younger generations. Any company that wants to effectively reach that audience will need strategies that involve tokens. It's no longer an option.”

Blockchain is fading into the background

One of Siu's most counterintuitive predictions is that blockchain technology will become invisible to most users. “Think about digital music; we used to say ‘MP3' or ‘digital download.' Now we say ‘music.' The technology has faded into the background. The same is happening with blockchain.”

He cites prediction markets as an example. “You're running on the rails of crypto, but users don't care about the back end. They care about the service. That's the model for mainstream adoption: provide value and let the blockchain do the work invisibly.”

This practical approach opens doors in all industries. “Playing in-game assets like NFTs. Generating products accessible to everyday users. Instant payments. Digital ownership. These use cases will bring traditional users to crypto-centric services – not because they're excited about blockchain, but because the services are simply better.”

From crypto natives to crypto curios

Siu predicts a significant shift in crypto's target audience this year. “2026 will see the emphasis shift from crypto natives to crypto enthusiasts. And from entertainment to utility and value.”

Memecoins was the result of regulatory ambiguity, he argues. “So far, memecoin launches have only targeted crypto natives. They are not designed to appeal to mainstream users.” But as friendlier regulatory frameworks take shape globally, the dynamic is changing.

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“With clear rules, projects can openly discuss their value proposition. They no longer have to hide behind the memecoin label. The CLARITY law will accelerate this trend – tokens will be evaluated on the basis of real utility, and those without real value will struggle to survive.”

Financial literacy will be essential.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2026 and beyond, Siu sees financial literacy emerging as a critical skill. “Crypto is already solving real problems: reducing the cost of remittances, improving productivity, enabling participation in previously unavailable opportunities.

He expects crypto to penetrate deeply into the everyday financial infrastructure. “Student loans, consumer loans, and finally unsecured loans – crypto is being incorporated into financial solutions that impact ordinary people's lives.

This reflects the digital literacy revolution of the 1990s and 2000s. “Back then, businesses had to become digitally literate or irrelevant. Consumers followed. The same pattern is playing out now with financial literacy. Token leads to financialization, and those who develop financial literacy find enormous opportunities.”

pretend or die

Siu closes with a message that doubles as a warning and rallying cry for the year ahead.

“Companies that don't position their assets — making them accessible to AI systems and Web3 liquidity — will be less valuable. We've seen this movie before: Traditional businesses that ignore the Internet lose out to competitors like Amazon and Steam. Companies that ignore tokens will face the same fate.”

He paused, then delivered a line that became something of a personal mantra: “Fake it or die. That's not some distant future prediction. It's the reality of 2026.”