Investor Ric Edelman said that although prices remain under pressure in the cryptocurrency market, adoption is accelerating behind the scenes. According to Edelman, while progress in the field of tokenization is creating momentum with institutional investors, there is a significant slowdown on the individual investor side.
Divergence between institutional demand and individual interest
Edelman’s assessment indicates that the crypto infrastructure continues to improve through regulated products, even if the market sentiment remains weak. According to the framework highlighted in the news, the expansion of corporate usage channels shows that a transformation continues independent of price movements.
Ric Edelman stated that crypto adoption gained momentum despite the decline in prices, that institutions and tokenization came to the fore in this process, and that there was a slowdown on the individual investor side.
Ric Edelman, a name known for his work in financial education and investment consultancy, cited the tokenization of real-world assets and the deepening of institutional infrastructure as the main drivers of change. Asset management companies, custodians and wealth management platforms are now increasingly using spot Bitcoin ETFs, tokenized treasury products and stablecoin settlement solutions.
Mini dictionary: Tokenization means representing real-world assets on the blockchain by converting them into digital tokens. This structure, also known as RWA, allows traditional financial instruments such as bonds to be transferred and monitored faster in the digital environment.
This trend also coincides with the broader picture of what is defined as controlled entry. According to SoSoValue data, US spot Bitcoin ETFs have garnered net inflows of over $50 billion year-to-date as of September 25. This data shows that corporate demand remains resilient even in periods when prices are relatively soft.
| Area | prominent trend |
|---|---|
| Corporate side | Spot Bitcoin ETFs, tokenized treasury products and stablecoin consensus stand out |
| individual side | Weakening in transaction volumes and on-chain indicators |
Market focus shifts to infrastructure and compliance
The cooling in retail investor activity was associated with lower trading volumes and weakness in on-chain individual metrics tracked by CryptoQuant. This indicates that the difference in focus between exchanges, developers and protocols has become evident.
While exchanges are moving more towards institutional custody and over-the-counter trading solutions, developers are focusing on compliance processes, API tools and RWA infrastructure rather than consumer-focused speculation. It is reported that interest in crypto ecosystems has shifted to usage-oriented layers such as consensus and harmony instead of short-lived themes.
It is emphasized that in the new period in the market, the interest is directed towards productization, reconciliation infrastructure and compliance with regulations rather than speculative cycles.
Regulations support new products
The regulatory framework continues to be an important topic in this transformation. It was stated that increased clarity regarding ETFs, custody services and stablecoins has reduced the barriers for institutions. It was noted that the European Union’s MiCA regulation and guidance in the USA also encouraged new product designs.
The news also states that the current cycle is progressing differently from the 2017 and 2018 periods. At that time, the market was led by individual investors and attracted high interest, while institutions came later. It was reminded that in 2021, institutions first came into play and then infrastructure construction accelerated. It is considered that the determining factor in the 2026 cycle is productization rather than the wave of interest.
