Market Overview: Layoffs Surge Alongside M&A Boom
The ongoing decline of Bitcoin has triggered large-scale layoffs across the crypto industry. However, merger and acquisition (M&A) activity has surged in response. In the first half of 2026, total M&A volume in the crypto sector reached $9.37 billion, a record high for the period.
Acquisition Focus: Traditional Finance Targets Stablecoins and Institutional Infrastructure
Traditional financial institutions such as Mastercard and Franklin Templeton are accelerating acquisitions of infrastructure assets including payment systems, custodial services, and compliance licenses. Their strategic focus remains on stablecoin applications and institutional-grade deployment scenarios. In contrast, purely decentralized projects and public blockchains without real-world use cases are being overlooked by capital.
This article was originally published by Bit.Fan. For more cryptocurrency news and market insights, visit www.bit.fan.