The trend in the crypto industry is quietly changing. The latest analysis from well-known investment firm a16z points out that privacy protection, decentralized messaging, and "regulation as law" will become the three main driving forces of the crypto ecosystem by 2026. Among them, privacy technology is evolving from an edge feature to a foundational infrastructure, and this shift will gradually create cross-chain ecosystem locking effects.

This is not just a prediction on paper. Vitalik Buterin has already expressed his stance through action—he donated 256 ETH to a privacy messaging project, and this act itself is a clear support for the development direction of privacy technology.

Meanwhile, reality is ringing alarm bells. A recent security vulnerability exposed in Trust Wallet resulted in losses exceeding $7 million. Such incidents are prompting the entire ecosystem to take security assurance mechanisms more seriously. The industry’s response is clear—relying solely on traditional testing is no longer enough, and formal security verification is becoming a new standard requirement. This shift marks a new stage in the security requirements for crypto wallets and applications.