RootData's latest "2026 Crypto Industry Death List" shows that 99 crypto projects have been added to the list of shut-down, bankrupt, or long-term inactive projects this year. The list covers exchanges, wallets, DeFi, NFTs, Layer 2, AI projects, and developer tools, indicating that this round of industry consolidation is not limited to a single sector.
The list of suspended operations covers multiple stages.
The projects named include wallets such as Family, Ctrl, and Leap, as well as centralized trading platforms such as BitMart, BitMEX, and AscendEX. In terms of infrastructure and DeFi projects, Zapper, Stream Finance, Parsec, Loopring, and Goldfinch are also on the list.
This means that the current adjustments have expanded from a single sector to a broader ecosystem. Whether it's user-facing wallets, trading platforms, or protocols and development tools, all are facing a more severe test of survival.
Concentrated clearing after bull market expansion
Over the past few years, the crypto market has seen a surge in new projects. Especially during the bull market of 2024-2025, relatively abundant venture capital and rising token prices allowed many business models that had not yet generated stable revenue to continue operating.
However, with the tightening of the financing environment, the market's requirements for projects have shifted towards more definite user growth and sustainable revenue. Teams that rely solely on token appreciation or new rounds of financing to maintain operations are finding it increasingly difficult to survive.
The inclusion of several well-known brands on RootData's list has drawn even more attention to this round of restructuring. Compared to earlier cycles that focused on a single type of project, this time the impact is much broader.
Closure, bankruptcy, and inactivation are not the same.
RootData's statistics cover three categories: official closure, bankruptcy filing, and websites deemed essentially inactive due to prolonged inaccessibility. The meanings of these different categories differ.
For example, the bankruptcy of an exchange is not the same as an agreement voluntarily ceasing operations after a community vote. The former usually involves more direct asset and debt issues, while the latter is closer to a project-level contraction or termination.
Historically, every round of large-scale expansion has been followed by a period of concentrated elimination. After the token issuance boom of 2018 subsided, a large number of projects disappeared; after the bear market of 2022, centralized lending platforms also underwent a significant reshuffle. The current wave of shutdowns once again reflects that the crypto industry is still in a phase of continuous screening and consolidation.
