2 new cryptos set to dominate in 2026

As most of the leading cryptocurrencies struggled toward the end of 2025, traders are right to be nervous about what the next 12 months are going to bring. However, there are also many reasons to be optimistic, as some new projects are already inspiring confidence. Here are the 2 new cryptos set to dominate in 2026.

1. Midnight (NIGHT)

Midnight (NIGHT), a privacy-centric token built on the Cardano (ADA) network, was in many ways the defining launch of December 2025, surging to a $1 billion market capitalization within its first week. 

While Midnight faces a potentially bearish supply overhang, with roughly 15% of the total supply scheduled to gradually enter circulation through March 2026, developers are pushing toward mainnet expansion, which is inspiring hope among early adopters. The upcoming ‘Kūkolu’ phase of the launch, expected in Q1 2026, is expected to bring privacy-focused decentralized applications (dApps) and cross-chain connectivity, including bridges to Solana (SOL). 

At the same time, Midnight developer Sebastien Guillemot emphasized at the end of 2025 that Midnight’s tech is built “not just to shine bright today but to be even brighter in the future.” To achieve this, Guillemot stated, the team is focusing on making the asset upgradable. Most recently, the v7.0 update introduced the hardfork mechanism, one of the remaining key steps toward a mainnet. Midnight’s selective-disclosure design also aims to balance privacy with compliance, potentially insulating it from the harsher end of enforcement actions. 

One caveat could be that the broader privacy-token sector remains volatile and highly sensitive to policy shifts. With strong competition from established players, such as Zcash (ZEC), Midnight will thus really have to deliver on the promises given by the developers if it intends to remain on the list of new cryptos set to dominate in 2026.

Currently, NIGHT is in a price discovery phase, falling 80% since its debut last month, but slowly building momentum on the weekly chart, where it is up nearly 13%.

The second entrant is much more speculative: Trump Media and Technology Group’s (NASDAQ: DJT) newly announced cryptocurrency. Namely, on December 31, 2025, the company published a press release, disclosing plans to issue a new digital token to its shareholders, extending its move into cryptocurrencies.

According to the company, DJT shareholders will receive one digital token per share owned, with further details on the rollout expected in 2026. The announcement also hinted that token holders could receive additional perks, including potential discounts on various products. The asset is slated to run on the Cronos blockchain and be distributed in partnership with the Crypto.com exchange.

Shares of the company rose about 5% in early trading following the announcement, showcasing the new token’s potential. Indeed, digital assets have increasingly become part of the Trump family’s portfolio during the president’s second term, even amid allegations of conflicts of interest.

New crypto launches would not be odd. After all, Trump already unveiled a meme token, TRUMP, just days before his last inauguration. The launch enjoyed brief success before the crypto lost around 90% of its value. Despite a soft market backdrop, Trump Media’s upcoming release plan still underscores its bet that crypto adoption will play a central role in the company’s future strategy, so it is worth keeping an eye on, if nothing else than as a meme coin.

What new cryptos will dominate in 2026?

Overall, while the wider digital asset market continues to face a lot of uncertainty, some new projects have a lot of room to break out, at least short-term. Among them are Midnight and Trump Media’s upcoming token, both of which illustrate the range of narratives driving the new wave of cryptocurrencies, from privacy infrastructure to politically charged meme appeal. 

Whether these assets ultimately ‘dominate’ will depend on a number of factors, including execution, utility, and hype, but their potential and the buzz surrounding them suggests that 2026 might hold some aces up its sleeve.

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