2026-01-16 00:21:27

The market is undergoing a profound transformation. Do you remember projects that could skyrocket just by hype and FOMO sentiment? That era seems to be fading away.

More and more voices are pointing out that 2026 will be the "Year of Practicality Winning." This is not just a shift in concept but also reflects the maturity of the entire Web3 ecosystem—investors are beginning to genuinely care about what projects can do, rather than just how much they can increase.

From DeFi to Layer 2 solutions, from on-chain governance to cross-chain interoperability, all sectors are vying for this turning point. Projects that truly solve practical problems, lower user barriers, and create real application scenarios are quietly gaining advantages.

Do you also have a favorite project in mind—one that you think best represents this shift? Has any team already demonstrated a clear pragmatic approach? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments and see if we’re all watching the same dark horse.

DEFI-5,22%

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NonFungibleDegen

· 01-18 19:59

nah fr ser, the "utility year" cope is just what we tell ourselves when our bags aren't pumping anymore lol... but tbh, actually watching teams build real stuff hits different. not gonna lie tho, still checking floor prices every 5 mins probably nothing 👀

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ruggedSoBadLMAO

· 01-17 21:07

Honestly, I don't really believe in practicality; every bear market shouts this out once again. The real dark horse has already been accumulated by big funds, and by the time retail investors see it, it's already in the middle of the story. Layer 2 stuff is indeed being used, but who knows which one will survive in the end? Instead of waiting for 2026, why not go all-in on the projects you believe in right now?

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LiquidatedThrice

· 01-16 00:49

Well, speaking of which, most of the projects that were purely hype last year are almost dead now... It was about time for this wave. Wait a minute, is there really any good DeFi? I'm still using old products. Layer 2 definitely has some potential, but the interaction is still a bit complicated. Does anyone have reliable project recommendations? Don't set me up for failure haha. The practicality claim sounds good, but I'm just worried it's another marketing buzzword. Dark horse? I only know about being liquidated three times haha, I don't deserve to be called a dark horse anymore. It's a nice phrase, but I really haven't found many projects that can truly solve problems. Cross-chain should be the focus, I feel like that's the next breakthrough.

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GasWhisperer

· 01-16 00:46

ngl... watching gas fees normalize while utility finally matters? that's the mempool shift i've been predicting since last cycle. the fee arbitrage opportunities are getting thinner tho, which means real value extraction is actually happening now. 2026 sounds about right for the probability distributions to settle.

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quietly_staking

· 01-16 00:41

To be honest, I saw this shift coming a long time ago. Projects that rely solely on narratives are now basically getting no support. Layer 2 definitely has some potential, but only a few are truly implementable. The ones I believe in are quietly accumulating now, waiting for the explosion in 2026.

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ForkYouPayMe

· 01-16 00:32

You're right, but I think everyone's definition of "practicality" is still too vague. There are very few truly implemented projects, and we're still waiting for 2026. Layer2 is indeed winning, but how many can survive? Stop fooling me, hype will never disappear; it's just a different way of saying it. How are Arb and Op doing now? Is anyone really using them? This cycle doesn't feel as crazy as the last one. I don't know if it's the market's rationality or cold funds. The key still depends on whose ecosystem can emerge; just having concepts is useless. I've heard too many "next hot spots," now I only look at code and TVL. 2026 is still so far away; it's too early to call winners now. In reality, the ones truly making money are those who entered early; newcomers are mostly just taking the fall.

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