The ongoing Bitcoin decline has triggered massive layoffs in the crypto industry, but M&A activity surged to $9.37 billion in H1 2026. Traditional financial institutions such as Mastercard and Franklin Templeton are accelerating acquisitions of payment, custody, and compliance license infrastructure, focusing on stablecoin applications and institutional-grade use cases. Pure decentralized projects and public chains without real-world applications are being sidelined by capital.
The prolonged Bitcoin decline has triggered a wave of massive layoffs across the crypto industry, yet merger and acquisition activity has surged to record highs. In the first half of 2026, crypto-related M&A totaled $9.37 billion, the highest ever for a six-month period. Traditional financial giants such as Mastercard and Franklin Templeton are aggressively acquiring payment processors, custody providers, and compliance-licensed infrastructure, with a clear focus on stablecoin applications and institutional-grade real-world use cases.
Meanwhile, pure decentralized projects and public chains lacking practical applications are being shunned by capital. Wall Street money now prefers infrastructure assets that hold regulatory licenses and can serve institutional clients, rather than purely speculative token projects. This shift signals that the crypto industry is moving from a 'wild west' phase toward a regulated, institutional era.
This article was originally published by Bit.Fan. For more cryptocurrency news and market insights, visit www.bit.fan. Disclaimer:
The market information, project data, and third-party content displayed on this platform are for industry information sharing only and do not constitute any form of investment advice or return commitment.
Cryptocurrency trading carries high risks. Users should fully assess their risk tolerance and make independent decisions. All profits, losses, and legal responsibilities are borne by the users themselves.
