Blockchain Startups Poised for Expansion in 2026, Survey Shows

Source: DefiPlanet Original Title: Blockchain Startups Poised for Expansion in 2026, Survey Shows Original Link: https://defi-planet.com/2025/12/blockchain-startups-poised-for-expansion-in-2026-survey-shows/

Key Findings

• 84% of blockchain startups plan to increase headcount in 2026, with a focus on Product/Engineering and Business Development roles.
• 40% of founders are considering DAOs, IPOs, direct listings, or RTOs, enabled by regulatory clarity and institutional adoption.
• Top growth priorities include revenue generation, product-market fit, and access to capital, with fundraising targets exceeding $25M for some.

Blockchain startups are preparing for significant growth in 2026, according to the latest CoinFund Founders’ Forecast. The survey, conducted in November 2025 among 25 Seed- and Series A-stage portfolio companies, found that 84% of founders plan to increase headcount, while 40% are exploring public listings or structural transformations within the next two years.

Hiring surge and strategic growth plan

Despite ongoing layoffs in the broader tech sector, blockchain startups report strong hiring intentions. Over half of respondents expect team growth of 50% or more, primarily in Product/Engineering and Business Development/Sales roles. Founders highlighted fintech and stablecoins as the sectors most likely to expand in 2026 (28%), followed by consumer apps and real-world asset/tokenized asset platforms (20%), and DeFi products (12%).

The survey revealed that 40% of startups are considering forming DAOs or foundations, pursuing IPOs, direct listings, or RTOs. Increased regulatory clarity and institutional adoption, particularly following 2024’s spot Bitcoin ETF approvals, are cited as key enablers for liquidity events that were previously difficult to achieve. Fundraising plans remain robust, with 20% of respondents targeting more than $25 million to scale operations, expand product teams, and serve institutional and mainstream markets.

Barriers easing, focus shifts to execution

Founders identified product-market fit (24%) and access to capital (20%) as the top growth challenges. More than half (56%) emphasized revenue generation as a key priority. Engagement with U.S. regulatory developments is high, with 76% of founders reporting they are well-informed, signalling reduced uncertainty and a shift toward execution and customer acquisition.

“Crypto now has multiple examples of meaningful adoption,” said David Pakman, Managing Partner at CoinFund. “Founders are ready to innovate, grow their teams, and leverage regulatory clarity to scale responsibly in 2026.”

The report comes as risk sentiment improves across global markets, with traders digesting stronger-than-expected Nvidia earnings and preparing for the U.S. September Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report. According to certain markets desk analysis, digital assets, already rebounding from earlier weakness, could experience outsized volatility once the jobs data is released.