Overview
- Of 351 institutions surveyed in January, 73% plan to increase digital‑asset allocations in 2026 and 74% expect prices to rise over the next year.
- Two‑thirds now access crypto through spot ETFs, and 81% prefer spot exposure via a registered vehicle rather than direct holdings.
- More than four in five report using or expressing interest in stablecoins for use cases such as T+0 settlement and cash management, while 63% are interested in tokenized assets and over 60% expect tokenization to reshape trading, clearing and settlement within three to five years.
- Recent volatility has not reversed intent to allocate, but nearly half say it has intensified focus on risk management, liquidity and position sizing.
- Custodian selection is shifting toward control and compliance, with 66% citing regulatory compliance (up from 25%) and 66% prioritizing security and key‑signing (up from 8%); policy backdrops include the 2025 GENIUS Act’s stablecoin framework, newly proposed OCC implementing rules, and a still‑pending Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act.