AI Bots, Bank Charters, Stablecoins: Fintech’s 2026 Power Play

The crypto wins many predicted for 2025 didn’t fully materialize. But while Bitcoin is ending the year in the red, firms across the broader digital-finance landscape have been making a methodical push into the heart of the US banking system.

After a year of regulatory triumphs, industry leaders are betting that 2026 could mark a major inflection point. Crypto firms are trading state licenses for national charters, payments giants are rewiring their rails for blockchain settlement, and artificial intelligence agents are inching closer to autonomous payments.

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire during the company’s initial public offering at the New York Stock Exchange on June 5, 2025.

Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

The fintech industry’s ambitious vision for the future of finance ...