Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan has highlighted the evolving global perception of cryptocurrency, noting a significant shift in how mainstream investors view its role. Initially seen primarily as 'digital gold,' the concept has expanded to include stablecoins and tokenization. Hougan predicts that in the coming years, the understanding will further broaden to encompass prediction markets, DeFi, digital identity, privacy, decentralized infrastructure (DePin), capital raising, and decentralized AI, among other applications.