On December 5th, MyToken, a well-known blockchain data platform, hosted an online AMA themed "Challenges and Opportunities for Retail Investors in an Era Dominated by Institutions." The event invited several guests, including renowned KOL Lao Zhang (@zhang_bj_), veteran investor Yangzi Olivia (@knowyourself518), KTX Exchange CMO Christine ( @ChristineKTX ), and Ju.com content researcher (@Jucom_intern), to discuss strategies for ordinary investors and future prospects in the face of profound market structural changes.
I. Changes in Market Structure: From Retail Investor Frenzy to Institutional Dominance
At the start of the discussion, the participants unanimously agreed that the approval of the Bitcoin spot ETF marks a new stage in the crypto market with deep involvement from traditional financial institutions.
- Institutionalization and structuring have become key : Yangzi points out that institutions bring in massive amounts of capital, and their pursuit is no longer the "100x myth," but rather sustainable and compliant returns. This has directly spurred huge market demand for stable underlying assets (such as RWA) and professional strategies. While market volatility remains, the previous surges and crashes driven by retail investor sentiment have been "smoothed out" by institutional allocation behavior.
- Retail investors are being forced to upgrade: Christina from KTX cited data showing that the proportion of retail investor funds has dropped significantly from about 80% in the last bull market. Faced with the capital and information advantages of institutional investors, the old model of retail investors "trading for small-cap on-chain meme and speculating on futures contracts" is no longer sustainable. Christina, representing an exchange that emphasizes user experience and transparency, revealed that KTX is actively developing products to support retail investors, such as developing smart trading strategy tools based on multiple indices, aiming to help users optimize their decisions in complex market environments. Ju.com researchers observed that retail investors are becoming more "professional," relying more on on-chain data tools for decision-making.
- Shifting Trading Behavior: The panelists believe that retail investors are moving away from high-frequency trading and Altcoin speculation towards a focus on asset allocation. Some funds are being used for dollar-cost averaging in core assets like Bitcoin, while others are being used to leverage yield aggregators, strategy stores, or professional asset management platforms to achieve more stable returns.
II. Outlook for 2026: Reinforcing Trends and Emerging Sectors
Regarding the upcoming year 2026, the guests generally believed that the trend of institutional dominance would continue to strengthen, but at the same time, new opportunities would also emerge.
1. The trend continues to strengthen.
Both Lao Zhang and Ju.com researchers believe that compliant entry points such as ETFs have led mainstream funds to favor high-quality assets like Bitcoin, a structure that is difficult to reverse. The market may exhibit a "stratification": the peak will see large-scale institutional transactions; the middle will see the widespread adoption of AI-driven tools (such as data analytics agents and strategy platforms), allowing retail investors to narrow information gaps; and the foot of the mountain will still see the emergence of new assets driven by strong narratives.
2. Key sectors we are optimistic about:
- RWA (Real-World Assets) : Several guests mentioned that this is the key to connecting traditional finance with the crypto world, such as tokenized government bonds and equities, which can provide a stable source of income.
- AI and Autonomous Agents (AI Agents) : With the development of standards such as ERC-404 and X402, AI agents that can autonomously conduct on-chain interactions and payments may become a new growth point.
- Payment and Financial Infrastructure : With the opening of payment channels in many parts of the world, the application of cryptocurrencies in daily consumption (such as QR code payment) will become an important trend, realizing "earn money with Web3 and spend it offline".
- Bitcoin Ecosystem : Lao Zhang suggests that due to the long-term needs of network security and miner incentives, the construction of the Bitcoin ecosystem (such as Layer 2 networks and new asset protocols) may be bound to see breakthroughs.
- Other opportunities include prediction markets, on-chain derivatives mining (such as Hyperliquid), and SocialFi, which are also considered areas that retail investors can pay attention to and participate in.
III. Retail Investor Strategy: Prioritize Stability and Utilize Tools Effectively
In response to the new environment, the guests offered the following practical advice to individual investors:
- Adjust mindset and strategy : Adopt a barbell strategy —allocate the majority of funds to stable assets such as Bitcoin, and use a smaller portion to explore new narratives with high risk and high potential. Shift from a "trader" mindset to a "fund investor" mindset, relying more on professional management.
- Selecting the Right Platform : Security is the primary criterion for choosing trading platforms and asset management products, followed by the product's professionalism and the transparency of its underlying assets. Focus should be placed on platforms that provide in-depth market data, clear risk disclosure, and support flexible subscription and redemption. Whether it's a trading platform or an asset management product, its fund custody, auditing status, and asset transparency must be prioritized. Christina explained KTX's security measures from multiple perspectives.
Make good use of tools and leverage expertise : Individual investors should proactively learn to use data analysis tools (such as the monitoring functions provided by MyToken) and AI-assisted products. Simultaneously, they can consider using asset management platforms like CICADA, acting as "fund investors," to entrust professional teams with strategy management and share in institutional-level profit opportunities. They should also remain sensitive to emerging narratives, set aside biases, and conduct timely research.
Conclusion
This AMA clearly revealed that the crypto market is maturing amidst a wave of compliance and institutionalization. For retail investors, the era of going it alone is over. Utilizing professional tools, shifting towards asset allocation, and keenly identifying structural opportunities in emerging sectors will be key to meeting future challenges. As the host summarized, regardless of market changes, continuous learning and adaptation will always be the most reliable moat for investors.
(This article is based on MyToken AMA content. The guest's views are for reference only and do not constitute investment advice.)
