Crypto holders increased digital asset-backed borrowing in 2026, with retail loan activity up 74% as markets cooled and collateral preferences shifted.
DeFi & Yields ·
Digital asset-backed lending activity accelerated among crypto holders in 2026 as market conditions weakened, according to research analyzed from CoinRabbit data. Retail borrowers demonstrated the most significant shift, with their average loan count climbing 74% to 53.5 per user, while high-net-worth participants increased borrowing by 18% to 19.4 loans per user. The proportion of borrowers engaging in multiple lending arrangements expanded from 61.9% to 65.1%, though retail participants lengthened the interval between successive loans from 11 to 21 days.
Asset composition in collateral pools underwent notable realignment. Bitcoin's prevalence among wealthy users contracted sharply from 57.8% to 30.5%, while Zcash emerged as a major collateral asset at 24.2% following price appreciation from roughly $50 to $800 over late 2025 and into 2026. Retail participants maintained substantial XRP exposure, though its share declined from 41.7% to 35.2%, with TRON, Stellar, BNB, Kaspa, and Velo gaining ground. Trading activity concentration shifted as well, with Tether and Bitcoin sustaining top positions, USD Coin rising to third, and Flare, Ether, and Ondo entering the ten largest assets by volume.