According to a new 2026 survey published by Ripple, global finance leaders are moving to integrate crypto, stablecoins, and tokenization into their operations at a rather aggressive pace.
The San Francisco-based enterprise blockchain company has surveyed more than 1,000 executives across banks, asset managers, fintech companies, and corporate finance departments.
Notably, 72% of respondents stated that offering digital asset solutions is now "table stakes" in order to be able to remain competitive.
Stablecoins become top treasury tool
Institutional leaders no longer view stablecoins merely as a tool for executing cross-border payments.
The survey found that 74% of finance leaders are convinced that stablecoins can significantly boost cash-flow efficiency and unlock trapped working capital.
Stablecoins are now being embedded directly into treasury management by key institutional participants.
Fintechs leading the change
Fintech companies are drastically outpacing traditional financial institutions and corporates across a slew of different metrics.
Fintechs are currently setting the pace for real-world digital asset use cases over the next one to two years: Notably, nearly a third of such firms accept payments directly in stablecoins.
The lion's share of finance leaders prefer a "one-stop-shop" infrastructure provider that can simultaneously handle integrated custody, orchestration, and compliance.
An overwhelming 89% of respondents ranked digital asset storage and custody as their absolute top priority. There is strong demand for experienced partners capable of guiding them through the entire implementation lifecycle.
Dan Burgin
Vladislav Sopov
