Emre Yumlu 
Long-term outlooks for the crypto industry are becoming increasingly ambitious, and Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan is among the most confident voices on the future of digital assets. According to Hougan, the crypto market has the potential to grow between ten and twenty times over the next decade—without facing major structural strain. He believes this expansion will occur organically as blockchain-based financial tools continue to integrate into the global economy.
At the heart of this growth thesis are three key drivers: Bitcoin, stablecoins, and asset tokenization. Together, these pillars are expected to reshape financial markets at scale.
A $68 Trillion Shift Signals How Early the Market Still Is
One of the most striking indicators supporting Hougan’s optimism comes from recent comments by SEC Chair Paul Atkins. Atkins suggested that the entire U.S. equity market could migrate onto blockchain infrastructure within just a few years.
The scale of this potential transition is enormous. Traditional U.S. equities currently represent a market of roughly 68 trillion dollars. In contrast, tokenized stocks on blockchain networks today account for only a tiny fraction of that amount. This massive gap highlights just how early the transition remains and how significant the upside could be if even a portion of traditional markets move onchain.
Bitcoin, Stablecoins, and Tokenization at the Core
Hougan emphasizes that Bitcoin’s role as both a store of value and a foundational crypto asset will continue to strengthen. At the same time, stablecoins are expected to become even more central to global payments, cross-border transfers, and financial infrastructure.
Tokenization is also gaining momentum, as real-world assets—from equities to bonds and beyond—are increasingly represented on blockchain networks. This trend is expected to unlock liquidity, improve settlement efficiency, and expand investor access on a global scale.
Beyond these core areas, Hougan points to the continued evolution of decentralized finance, digital identity systems, privacy technologies, prediction markets, and new forms of blockchain-native equities as additional growth engines.
High Growth Potential, But No Clear Winners Yet
Despite his strong conviction in the sector’s overall expansion, Hougan is cautious about predicting which blockchain networks will ultimately dominate. He notes that regulation, macroeconomic forces, technological execution, key industry decisions, and unpredictable external factors will all influence long-term outcomes.
Because of this uncertainty, Hougan favors broad market exposure over concentrated bets. Rather than focusing on individual networks, he allocates primarily through market-cap-weighted crypto index funds, reducing the risk of backing the wrong project in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Why Crypto Index Funds Could Gain Prominence After 2026
As crypto applications multiply and the ecosystem becomes more complex, Hougan believes index-based investment products will play a much larger role starting in 2026 and beyond. These instruments offer a way to participate in sector-wide growth while minimizing network-specific risk.
His view is clear: even in a market that could grow exponentially, diversification may be the most reliable way to capture long-term upside.
Also, you can freely share your thoughts and comments about the topic in the comment section. Additionally, don’t forget to follow us on our Telegram,YouTube and Twitter channels for the latest news and updates.