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Crypto project shutdowns hit 109 in 2026 as DeFi leads exits
A CryptoSlate-built tracker counted at least 109 shutdowns, wind-downs, or inactivity in 2026 through Aug. 5, with DeFi responsible for 28 of them.
A CryptoSlate-built tracker identified at least 109 crypto project shutdowns, wind-downs, or inactivity in 2026 as of Aug. 5, marking a broad cull across the sector. DeFi accounted for 28 of the 109 records, the largest share among sectors tracked, followed by gaming with 15, infrastructure with 13, layer-1 and layer-2 projects with 12, other projects with 11, and NFTs with 10. Wallets, exchanges, and analytics products made up another 18 entries. The shutdown timeline peaked in April with 27 recorded exits, then eased to 21 in May, 20 in June, and 14 in July. August had three recorded shutdowns through Aug. 5, while the tracker notes it lacks a comparable 2025 count and does not use a denominator for projects launched this year.
CryptoSlate also cautioned that project counts cannot be directly compared to controlled blockchain payment volumes or institutional buildouts, saying its tracker maps where pressure is landing rather than proving capital flows. As examples, POAP said it was winding down on Aug. 3 after more than five years, and Zapper founder Sébastien Audet announced a shutdown of the dashboard in July with closure scheduled for Aug. 3. The tracker also includes centralized venues, including BitMart, which said it would wind down with trading scheduled to stop Aug. 26 and platform operations ending Jan. 31, 2027, and BitMEX, which announced its exchange closure three days earlier.