WhiteBIT CEO Volodymyr Nosov: when will the crypto market recover?

WhiteBIT CEO expects a return to a bullish trend in 2026, calling recent events a “healthy correction” rather than a crisis. The platform, recently restructured into W Group – a global fintech ecosystem spanning blockchain, crypto processing, gaming, and other sectors – continues aggressive expansion despite market volatility.

Market correction: causes and recovery timeline

The autumn 2025 correction stemmed from several factors, according to Nosov: declining institutional interest, macroeconomic headwinds (tech investments dropped, major indexes fell, gold prices declined), compounded by excessive caution among retail investors.

This is part of a normal market cycle. First, a decline in institutional interest led to a reduction in demand. Large players executed their tactical strategies following the strong growth in early 2025, which resulted in a correction

Nosov stated.

Liquidity decreased further after the memorable mass liquidations in October. Less experienced participants were washed out, amplifying the decline. Regulatory uncertainty also played its role.

On recovery prospects, Nosov remains optimistic but pragmatic. 

The market today is far more resilient than it was several years ago. The autumn correction was not a crisis but rather a temporary fluctuation. A correction may last several months, mostly depending on macroeconomic conditions. The market should return to a bullish trend this year

he explained.

2026 trends

Nosov expects 2026 to bring greater regulatory clarity, with over 70% of major jurisdictions having made substantial progress in forming clear rules for digital assets, including stablecoins. This creates opportunities for traditional financial institutions and bridges between Web2 and Web3.

Most major investors have already invested in crypto ETFs. New investment instruments will emerge, along with more opportunities for portfolio diversification,

Nosov said.

Tokenization stands out as a primary trend. According to Nosov, the RWA market will continue its rapid development, and tokenization tools will become increasingly accessible to investors with various capital levels.

Major financial institutions including BlackRock, JPMorgan, and Goldman Sachs are already exploring tokenized assets. Volodymyr Nosov projects ambitious growth:

With significant institutional involvement, the market for tokenized assets could grow to $10-15 trillion within the next five years. Institutions will be the primary engine of this growth.

Saudi Arabia project

WhiteBIT recently signed an agreement to participate in tokenizing Saudi Arabia’s stock market, valued at approximately $2.7 trillion. The project involves integrating WBT token and Whitechain blockchain infrastructure.

Our team will take part in the tokenization of their stock market. Additionally, WhiteBIT will develop the infrastructure for the country’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). The broad money supply of the Saudi riyal is currently around $1 trillion

Nosov confirmed. 

The CBDC implementation aims to accelerate international settlements, strengthen the riyal’s position in oil trade and import operations, and enhance economic transparency. WhiteBIT will also support Saudi Arabia in developing national data processing centers and mining.

According to forecasts, global investments in data-center infrastructure may reach $2 trillion by 2030 and Saudi Arabia will be one of the central hubs of this transformation,

Nosov stated.

Challenges: security, talent, and volatility

Security remains a critical challenge, a point explored in our WhiteBIT review. Nosov acknowledges that hacker attacks and cybercrime are highly relevant, requiring continuous advancements in technologies that safeguard user funds and data. He emphasized that many attacks exploit vulnerabilities in outsourced software, pushing companies like WhiteBIT to build in-house IT teams. The industry faces a global talent shortage.

There is a global deficit of qualified blockchain specialists,

he noted.

He also predicts the market will move toward solving environmental concerns related to Proof-of-Work mining.

In 2026, pressure on crypto projects to adopt more energy-efficient consensus models will likely intensify, potentially accompanied by regulatory measures,

Nosov predicted.

Other major challenges for the industry remain volatility and broad educational initiatives.

For digital assets to become a mainstream financial instrument, it’s essential to strengthen public understanding and build trust through education,

he stated.

W Group expansion

W Group, WhiteBIT’s parent ecosystem, now serves 35 million clients across eight companies. The portfolio includes Whitepay crypto processing, Whitechain blockchain, white.market gaming marketplace, and Georgian fintech projects Hash Bank and Payunicard.

The WhiteBIT Nova card, launched in partnership with Visa, processed over $50 million in transactions during its first year. Average monthly spend per card reaches €750, with groceries accounting for 21% of transactions, cafés 19%, and subscriptions 15%. Activity is highest in Italy, Spain, Ireland, Poland, and the Netherlands, with 81% of users preferring virtual cards over physical plastic.

This shows that crypto is increasingly integrated into daily life, as more people choose digital assets for routine expenses,

Nosov said.

W Group’s native token, WBT, reached a new all-time high of $64 in 2025 and was added to five S&P Dow Jones crypto indices.

Its value has grown more than 32 times since its launch,

Nosov noted.

For 2026, WhiteBIT plans aggressive U.S. expansion across all states, MiCA authorization in Europe, and scaling tokenization projects.

“We look to the new year with ambitions to scale our ecosystem, launch more innovative projects, and help set the pace for global industry development,” Nosov concluded.