A survey of senior crypto investors and executives reveals a shift in capital priorities towards core infrastructure over DeFi. Liquidity concerns prompt 85% of respondents to prioritize infrastructure funding. While revenue growth and innovation expectations are high, liquidity shortages are seen as the biggest risk. Investor interest remains strong, but capital deployment is becoming more selective.

Respondents highlight market depth and settlement capacity as barriers to institutional capital inflow to crypto. 84% view the macroeconomic backdrop as positive for crypto growth, but existing market infrastructure is deemed insufficient. Expectations for innovation in 2026 are positive, but less speculative, signaling a move towards execution-focused development, focusing on custody, clearing, stablecoin infrastructure, and tokenization frameworks.

US regulatory sentiment improves, with the US ranking as the second-most favorable jurisdiction for digital assets. Stablecoin legislation and clearer rules for banks and regulated entities drive this shift. Expectations for crypto IPOs cool after a record year in 2025. While listings are expected to continue, fewer respondents express high confidence due to valuation resets and liquidity constraints.

Read more at Cointelegraph: Survey Shows Crypto Investors Favor Infrastructure Over DeFi