Goldman Sachs has adopted a cautiously optimistic view of the crypto market for the second half of 2026 despite weakening trading activity. Its latest Americas Brokerage and Crypto Industry research found that crypto trading volumes fell 30% in July and a further 21% in August, extending the decline beyond the previous five cycles. Overall market volume has dropped roughly 75% from its peak, while crypto market capitalization rebounded about 21% over the past week to $2.8 trillion. Goldman Sachs analysts said volumes could recover if market capitalization remains near current levels. Regulatory uncertainty remains the leading barrier for 35% of institutional investors, while 32% identify regulatory clarity as the main catalyst for adoption. Recent SEC (U.S. securities regulator) innovation exemptions, crypto companies obtaining OCC (U.S. banking regulator) national bank charters, and crypto infrastructure services for traditional finance were cited as positive developments. The SEC is advancing crypto rules amid delays to the CLARITY Act, while Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon has supported the legislation despite opposition from banks to stablecoin yields. Goldman Sachs recommends Coinbase Global and Robinhood Markets, assigning target prices of $196 and $124, respectively, as the market approaches September and October seasonality. The bank expects crypto companies' expansion into tokenized stocks, prediction markets and perpetual futures to support revenue growth. Coinbase stock rose more than 21% and Robinhood stock gained 12% over the past week. Goldman Sachs also increased its crypto ETF positions in the second quarter, with its XRP ETF holdings rising to $86.5 million. XRP has climbed more than 50% since CoinGape reported that Goldman Sachs re-entered XRP ETFs after fully exiting them in the first quarter. Bitcoin recovered above $80,000, reached a 24-hour high of $81,160 and gained 26% over the past week, while trading volume increased almost 75% in 24 hours. Investors are awaiting Wednesday's U.S. PCE inflation data, and crypto analysts say the bear market could end if Bitcoin breaks above $83,000. Bitcoin is currently facing 50-week moving-average resistance at $81,100. Investors seeking access to fractional equities on-chain can consult the dedicated guide on platforms for trading tokenized stocks.