Jay Wilson on Institutional Fintech Infrastructure

In our latest Deeptech Times piece, we unpack how the new AMINA Web3 Alliance is tackling one of the biggest bottlenecks for Web3 startups: the maze of regulatory, banking and operational hurdles that slow innovation and scale. By bringing together 17 specialised partners across legal, tax, capital, infrastructure and advisory services, anchored by regulated crypto banking, the alliance offers a cohesive operating platform to help founders focus on building instead of explaining to legacy systems and navigating siloed jurisdictions. As Web3 shifts from experimental frontier to real-world infrastructure layer, execution, compliance and integrated support will define success, and this initiative demonstrates a pragmatic way forward. Many thanks to Jürgen Hofbauer for his perspectives and insights. #DeeptechTimes #deeptech #AMINABank #AMINAWeb3Alliance #Web3 #Innovation #Crypto #Fintech #Startups #Blockchain https://lnkd.in/g7udmyEM

Crypto VCs Split as Hype Around DePIN Fades Venture investors are increasingly locking horns over DePIN — short for decentralized physical infrastructure networks — as some argue the model is running out of steam, while AI and DePIN assets lost an average of 80% in 2025. Why it matters: Just this past June, the WEF projected that DePIN will grow into a $3.5 trillion market by 2028. https://lnkd.in/g8F4XaMi

In a decisive move to protect long-term value, Story (IP), a pioneering blockchain-based intellectual property platform, has postponed its scheduled token unlock for early investors and team members by six months. This strategic delay, shifting the unlock from February to August 2025, directly addresses common market pressures associated with token vesting schedules. The company's developer, Pen Technology Inc., formally communicated this change to major investors this week, emphasizing a commitment to sustainable growth over short-term gains. This development arrives during a period of heightened scrutiny on tokenomics and investor protection within the cryptocurrency sector. Understanding the Story Token Unlock Decision Pen Technology Inc. made this announcement via official email correspondence to its core investment partners. Consequently, the company provided clear reasoning for the postponement. The primary goal is to avoid predictable selling behavior and unnecessary downward price pressure. Typically, scheduled token unlocks can create significant sell-side pressure in the market. Investors and team members often liquidate portions of their newly unlocked tokens to realize gains or cover initial costs. Therefore, by delaying this event, Story aims to stabilize its token's trading environment. This approach allows the project to build more fundamental value before introducing additional supply into the market. This decision reflects a mature and investor-conscious tokenomics strategy. Moreover, it aligns with broader industry trends where projects are reevaluating vesting schedules for better alignment with development milestones. Story's blockchain platform focuses on intellectual property management and monetization. It allows creators to tokenize their stories, characters, and franchises. The native token facilitates transactions, governance, and rewards within this ecosystem. A stable token price is crucial for attracting new creators and partners. Hence, managing supply events is a critical component of long-term success. The Mechanics of Token Unlocks and Market Impact Token unlocks represent a standard process in cryptocurrency projects. Initially, early investors and team members receive tokens subject to a vesting schedule. This schedule locks tokens for a predetermined period to ensure long-term commitment. However, when these tokens unlock, they become freely tradable. Historically, markets often anticipate these events. As a result, prices can decline in the weeks leading up to an unlock due to anticipated selling pressure. This phenomenon is well-documented across numerous crypto assets. For context, consider the following comparative data on token unlock impacts from 2023-2024: Project TypeAvg. Price Drop Before UnlockAvg.

The 2026 token launch playbook has been fundamentally rewritten. The winners in today’s market aren't the ones making the most noise—they're the ones building the most defensible systems. From Product-First models to regulatory-ready architectures, the bar for a successful TGE has never been higher. Here are the top 3 trends defining 2026: ● Utility before Hype: Market discipline now rewards projects that prove product-market fit and value loops before asking for liquidity.  ● Predictable Participation: The era of "blind" airdrops is over; sophisticated points and season-based systems are the new standard for building long-term holder bases.  ● Compliance as a Moat: Proactive disclosure and "Pragmatic Privacy" have turned regulatory readiness into a massive competitive advantage. Is your strategy built for the next cycle, or are you still using a 2021 playbook? Explore the full analysis here: https://lnkd.in/g_6ue7WA #TokenLaunch #Web3 #CryptoStrategy #Tokenomics #Blockchain2026 #DeFi

#Fintech ins and outs for 2026. 1.Out: #Blockchain speculation. In: #Stablecoins and tokenization as real infrastructure. - Leaders are both building and buying on-chain infrastructure as regulatory clarity improves and institutional adoption accelerates. The average stablecoin supply ended 2025 at $274 billion, and the distributed tokenized real-world asset value has reached $20 billion. Nasdaq wants to explore how to support tokenized #securities, as does the New York Stock Exchange. 2. Out: Prediction markets for betting. In: Prediction markets for real insights. - Prediction markets are the real deal, and even Goldman Sachs is exploring the optics. Weekly notional volumes are over $5 billion, and $4.5 billion of VC deal value came from Kalshi and Polymarket in 2025. Capital markets are realizing that these platforms can provide real-time information that is more accurate than polls, forecasts or other limited datasets. 3. Out: #Payments only for humans. In: Payments for machines. - #AI has not yet displaced traditional shopping traffic, but it is beginning to rewire the funnel. As LLM-driven referrals and conversions gain attention, a race has formed to build the payments infrastructure for autonomous agents. Visa, Mastercard, Stripe and OpenAI are already competing for the winning protocol on agent identity, intent and autonomous payments. Now in 2026, Google and Shopify are heating up the field as well. 4. Out: AI as positioning without proof. In: Real AI-native fintech. - Public markets are discounting AI narratives that add earnings noise without improving visibility, compressing valuation multiples when AI coincides with margin resets or reinvestment cycles. Meanwhile, a growing number of core AI startups are raising capital at seed, Series A and Series B, often earning valuation premiums. AI-enabled fintech companies made up 45% of US VC deal value in 2025. Source - "Fintech: State of the Industry 2026 report" by Pitchbook

2025 was a crazy, yet defining year for crypto. -> Robinhood launched tokenized stocks -> The U.S. Senate passed and signed into law the GENIUS Act -> State of Wyoming issued the first U.S. state-backed stable token in history -> Circle went public, marking a major milestone for regulated stablecoin issuers -> $50B+ flowed into U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs in 2025 - led by BlackRock and Fidelity Investments -> Stripe expanded its' stablecoin integrations and co-launched Tempo, a payments-focused blockchain, with Paradigm -> Industry leading banks, including JPMorganChase, Standard Chartered, BNY, HSBC, Citi, UOB, Silicon Valley Bank, and others, rapidly scaled crypto custody, settlement, and on-chain financial services ++ way more ~~ Crypto went from speculation to a necessity in global markets. Blockchain tech is now proving itself as critical financial infrastructure. And stablecoins matured into a core global settlement layer - enabling instant payments, powering on-chain liquidity, and bridging traditional finance with programmable money. ~~ During all of this, MomentumX Global completed its first year in business, establishing ourselves as a leader in premium live events for enterprises, leading startups, and investors at the intersection of TradFi, crypto, and AI. This year, based on popular demand, we’re doubling down on uniting leaders from TradFi & crypto. Introducing - Modern Money: NYC A monthly, year-round event series in New York City, bringing together the leaders building and operating today’s financial system. From financial institutions and payments to stablecoins, DeFi, and emerging infrastructure, Modern Money connects the ideas, capital, and people shaping how money moves in a 24/7 global economy. Our inaugural launch event is on Thursday, January 29th. We've already surpassed 60+ RSVPs - including many of the top global TradFi digital asset leaders, venture capital partners, and hyper-growth fintech / crypto founders in the world. Interested in attending or partnering? Email events@momentumx.global or DM us directly. Space is limited!

I feel like I'm late to the party, but this is for Raising funds in 2026. In 2025 I’ve seen an absence amount of “AI pitch decks”, little less blockchain with emphasis on RWA. Often, I felt the right thing to do is to burst the bubble. Lack of conviction. No understanding of investors. Just buzzwords and optimism. Out of the companies I helped raise funds, one thing was clear – They know how to talk to investors and they present realistic attractive numbers. Stepping into 2026, one thing is obvious: AI and blockchain are no longer “theses”, they’re infrastructure. Capital has stayed selective, but it has not gone away. It has simply grown allergic to noise. If you had to learn from 2025 you should have picked up lessons on discipline and clear path to workflow ownership and gross margin expansion. Blockchain quietly shifted from speculation to pipes and primitives – infra, compliance, real‑world assets, payments, identity, data integrity.   Capital in 2026 will chase compounding effects, not features. So, points I’ve picked up in recent conversation from allocators: 1. Products that own a mission‑critical workflow (not just “assist” it). Clearly demonstrated. 2. “AI‑native” applications with distribution built in (embedded into existing SaaS, platforms, marketplaces) rather than new silos fighting for attention. In blockchain a bit more straightforward: 3. RWA and tokenized instruments where on‑chain rails improve liquidity, collateralization or settlement in visible, measurable ways. 4. Regulated, compliant infrastructure – custody, identity, KYC/AML, proof layers. In other words, how to let institutions touch the asset class without touching the chaos. 5. Cross‑chain and interoperability as a boring, necessary layer: moving value and data cheaply, securely, and invisibly to the end user. If you’re a founder: Don’t pitch “AI”. Pitch the P&L you’re rewiring. Show line items you compress or new revenue you unlock, and why you can do it defensibly. For blockchain, lead with regulation, risk and real users: who needs this, what regulator says, and what breaks if your product disappears. Assume every serious fund is running cohort analyses, payback math and retention curves before they let FOMO anywhere near the IC room. If you’re a VC: Your edge in 2026 is not seeing “the next OpenAI”. It’s building category maps where AI and blockchain are enabling layers, then pre‑wiring the customer and distribution paths. Underwrite durability over velocity: governance, moats, infra quality, data advantage, compliance posture.   2026 is about owning the infrastructure and workflows that will still matter in a decade – and AI and blockchain are simply the rails we’re going to build them on. This is a very good year to be aggressive. Good luck! #investing #venturecapital #startups #entrepreneurship #innovation #technology #finance Asia SGE CorpEaseHK

February 2026 presents a pivotal moment for cryptocurrency investors. While Bitcoin's price retreats below the $78,000 threshold, a distinct segment of the market demonstrates notable resilience and potential. Consequently, investor attention is shifting toward early-stage opportunities. This analysis explores four prominent crypto presales—ZKP, IPO Genie, Pepeto, and BlockchainFX—that are generating significant discussion for their unique value propositions and growth trajectories during the current market adjustment. Best Crypto Presales in February 2026: A Strategic Overview The cryptocurrency market is inherently cyclical, characterized by periods of rapid expansion and subsequent consolidation. The recent dip in Bitcoin's value, a bellwether for the broader digital asset space, is a typical market correction following its previous ascent. Historically, such phases often redirect capital and focus toward foundational projects in their nascent stages. These presale events allow projects to secure funding directly from the community before a public exchange listing. Therefore, evaluating these opportunities requires a framework based on technology, team transparency, roadmap clarity, and tokenomics rather than speculative hype. Market data from Q4 2025 indicates a surge in capital allocated to private and presale rounds, suggesting sophisticated investors are positioning for the next market cycle. This trend underscores the importance of fundamental analysis during periods of broader market volatility. The projects highlighted herein have distinguished themselves through verifiable development milestones and clear use cases. Deep Dive: The Four Standout Presale Contenders Each project offers a distinct approach to solving existing challenges within the Web3 ecosystem. The following table provides a comparative snapshot of their core offerings. ProjectCore FocusStageNotable Feature ZKPZero-Knowledge Proof InfrastructureMid-PresaleScalable privacy layer for enterprise blockchain IPO GenieTokenized Equity & Asset LaunchpadEarly-PresaleBridges traditional finance with DeFi PepetoAI-Driven Meme EcosystemCommunity RoundGamified staking and creator economy BlockchainFXDecentralized Forex TradingStrategic RoundLow-latency, on-chain forex derivatives ZKP: Building the Privacy-First Future ZKP is constructing a modular infrastructure layer dedicated to zero-knowledge proof technology. This technology enables transaction validation without revealing underlying data, addressing critical privacy and scalability concerns. The project's whitepaper, audited by a known blockchain security firm, outlines a multi-phase rollout targeting sectors like decentralized identity and confidential DeFi. Its presale structure includes vesting schedules aligned with development milestones, a detail that promotes long-term alignment with investors.

2026 isn't "the next crypto cycle." Crypto is no longer an experiment, it's reliable infrastructure with accelerating regulatory acceptance. The ventures that win from here won't do it through narratives. They'll solve distribution. At Edge Ventures, we back challengers - founders that re-engineer systems, not compete within old categories. Blockchain is a tool, not the product. Where we see the clearest opportunities: 1. Tokenization is moving from pilot to product. Beyond treasuries: issuance, lifecycle management, and scalable distribution infrastructure. The tech works. The question is integration and real value creation. 2. Stablecoins are now a bank opportunity. Institutional adoption is accelerating cross-border settlement. Gaps remain: interoperability and regulation. Winners will look like fintech with blockchain rails. 3. Perps are driving growth. New financial products will be built around margin, collateral, and risk engines. Opportunity sits in prime brokerage, execution, and structured products. 4. Prediction markets are becoming distribution channels. $15B to $63B notional in one year. The opportunity is what’s built on top - information becoming tradeable. 5. AI is the new UX and risk surface. Users will delegate to agents. Verification, monitoring, and accountability become core infrastructure. The meta-trend: Winning ventures will look less like protocols and more like regulated financial networks serving both crypto liquidity and real-world balance sheets. What makes Edge different: We're backed by operators: Edge Capital Group, Allnodes ($3.5B staked), and WTG (120+ projects). Distribution is the bottleneck. We help founders solve it. We're looking for: → Tokenization & onchain capital formation → Stablecoin settlement infrastructure → Onchain credit & prime brokerage → Risk engines & proof systems → Perps & structured products → Compliance without killing UX We back operators with clear revenue paths and regulatory strategy, not just tokenomics. If you're building infrastructure that makes blockchain invisible while making finance better, let’s talk.