TL;DR:
- Bitcoin activity and price have declined, signaling a market cool-down and loss of momentum.
- Cardano’s CTO, Giorgio Zinetti, attributes the silence to a shift in attention toward the Artificial Intelligence (AI) sector.
- Zinetti predicts that the best DeFi protocols 2026 are laying foundations now, ready for the next bull cycle.
Cardano is focusing on infrastructure, and its CTO believes patience will yield massive returns in 2026. Giorgio Zinetti shared a message of cautious optimism amidst a seemingly frozen crypto market. Zinetti posted on X that while current conditions indicate a decline in activity, this is, in fact, the perfect time for the sector to prepare for its next growth cycle.
Metrics indicate the market has lost momentum. Bitcoin’s active addresses volume has dropped to 12-month lows. Furthermore, Bitcoin miners’ revenue is down 20%, and the pioneer’s price has plummeted over 32% since hitting its all-time high of $126,198 70 days ago. These indicators reinforce the sense that sentiment is moderating, which historically marks a consolidation phase.
The Great Opportunity: DeFi Building in Silence 2026
Cardano’s CTO observes that the current market setup is due to attention shifting away from cryptocurrencies; Artificial Intelligence (AI) now holds us captive. He points out that this “silence” is a golden opportunity. While the media spotlight is elsewhere, the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector is working quietly.
According to the CTO, the “best DeFi protocols of 2026” are being built right now by various founders. His thesis is that the market only rewards those who invest and build infrastructure when no one else is paying attention.
Therefore, patience and infrastructure building are the catalysts that will drive the next cycle. The Cardano Foundation appears to be validating this approach. In a notable move, Cardano Founder Charles Hoskinson recently alluded to the possibility of hosting a DeFi summit with the XRP community, suggesting a possible alignment for interoperability in the altcoin space.
But this is not the only infrastructure initiative. In November, Hoskinson previewed an ambitious plan to integrate DeFi into Bitcoin, aiming to bridge the two blockchains and make it easier for users to interact with decentralized applications by spending Bitcoin directly.
In short, these initiatives exemplify the kind of “building” Zinetti refers to. Cardano’s CTO believes that the DeFi products being launched now will lay a solid foundation that could generate massive returns in the next bull cycle. The message is clear: those who remain focused on innovation and strategic investment during the calm will reap the rewards in the future.
