In the first four months of 2026, prediction markets have emerged as a dominant force in cryptocurrency funding, capturing 18% of the year's total capital. Kalshi and Polymarket, two leading prediction market companies, raised $1 billion and $600 million respectively, surpassing the combined funding of all DeFi projects. This shift highlights a significant change in investment focus within the crypto sector.The overall crypto funding landscape saw 305 rounds totaling $8.65 billion, with a notable $4.57 billion surge in March driven by major acquisitions, including BVNK's $1.8 billion and Kalshi's $1 billion deals. Excluding these, the monthly funding rate stands at approximately $1 billion, indicating a slowdown compared to late 2025. Payments and consumption sectors dominated, accounting for 72% of the funding, while gaming and DePIN sectors saw a sharp decline.Mergers and acquisitions have become a mainstream strategy, with 48 deals nearly matching the 57 seed-stage transactions. This trend reflects a shift from early-stage investments to acquiring established market leaders. Among investment institutions, Tether emerged as a new leader with 13 transactions, while a16z experienced a significant decline in activity.