Prediction markets are set to become the defining infrastructure of crypto's next cycle—moving beyond niche speculation to reshape mainstream finance. Here's the thesis:

The 2026 inflection point is real. We're looking at $100B+ in annualized trading volume, driven by institutional adoption and retail maturation. But the real story isn't just volume—it's distribution.

Prediction markets embedded directly into wallet interfaces represent a paradigm shift. When liquidity pools meet price discovery tools, friction disappears. Users won't need to learn new platforms; they'll access market prediction primitives the same way they swap tokens or check balances.

This isn't hype. It's infrastructure maturation. Memecoins demonstrated velocity and community coordination. AI showed us scalability potential. Prediction markets? They're the next natural evolution—turning volatility into information advantage and making the crowd's wisdom tangible.