Digital assets are quickly becoming a cornerstone of financial services, underpinned by progressive regulation, growing interest from Tier-1 banks, a steady consumer shift from banks to fintech providers, and booming stablecoin adoption.
At the start of 2026, Ripple went straight to the source and conducted a survey of more than 1,000 global finance leaders across banks, asset managers, fintechs and corporates.
This feeling of urgency — that the digital asset revolution is happening now — is shared across 72% of respondents who believe that finance leaders must offer a digital asset solution to remain competitive.
A handful of other insights, available in this report preview, reveal similar industry consensus on stablecoins, tokenization, and partner considerations. This alignment across industries signals a maturing digital asset market embracing the applications and frameworks most likely to produce future business success.
Read on for a deeper look at the findings.
Support for Stablecoins
Among digital asset use cases, financial leaders are the most bullish on stablecoins. While the benefits of faster settlement can help outpace the competition, 74% of respondents say stablecoins can also boost cash-flow efficiency and unlock trapped working capital.
That unanimity makes it clear that finance leaders are thinking about stablecoins as more than just a new way to execute payments. Increasingly, they see them as tools for treasury management — a more conservative arena exploring the undeniable benefits of using blockchain technology to move value.
Fintechs Lead the Way
Unsurprisingly, fintechs consistently demonstrate digital asset leadership across the companies surveyed. Between offering crypto wallets to customers and using stablecoins for treasury management in the next one to two years, fintechs are setting the pace for adoption of real-world digital asset use cases.
More of them report using digital assets in their treasury or payment operations than either financial institutions or corporates. And they are more likely to deploy digital assets in multiple ways, with 31% using stablecoins to collect payments for their customers and 29% taking payments directly in stablecoins. A similar percentage relies on digital asset custodians or infrastructure providers to safeguard assets.
More fintechs (47%) than corporates (14%) also lean towards building their own solutions. On the flip side, 74% of corporates plan to work with partners that offer desired solutions.
Digital Asset Custody is Paramount
Interest in tokenizing financial assets also continues to grow, with most banks and asset managers seeking partners to help execute their strategies. Of those evaluating tokenization partners, 89% say digital asset storage and custody is a top priority. Token servicing/lifecycle management also ranks highly for banks at 82%, while asset managers place greater emphasis on primary distribution at 80%.
In addition, banks hold a strong interest in advisory support. Eighty-five percent (85%) indicate that pre-issuance structuring consultancy is important, compared to 76% of asset managers. This indicates that many institutions are seeking experienced partners to guide implementation alongside technology deployment.
This emphasis on custody extends into crypto-enabled payments adoption, as well. Among respondents actively exploring stablecoin collections (accepting stablecoins on behalf of customers) or payments, 57% want a partner that offers integrated custody, orchestration and compliance services so they can avoid holding stablecoin balances directly.
The key takeaway here is that finance leaders want more from the crypto companies offering these solutions — they want a tech stack that can meet all of their digital asset needs and a trusted provider to partner with now and in the future as strategies evolve.
Infrastructure Partner Preferences
When taking a closer look at infrastructure partner preferences, our survey found that slightly more than half of fintechs and financial institutions favor a provider that offers a one-stop-shop solution. Among corporates, that preference rises to 71%.
This is likely because managing multiple vendors across support areas introduces complexity at a time when governance standards are tightening. Institutions want partners capable of delivering cohesive systems that reduce integration overhead while maintaining high security and compliance standards.
Beyond individual capabilities, integration matters. Respondents’ preferences in a partner reflect their concerns surrounding digital assets, namely: regulatory clarity (40%), security and safekeeping (37%), compliance requirements (30%) and price volatility (29%).
It follows that security ranks as the most important partner consideration, with 97% of respondents across segments identifying certifications such as ISO and SOC II as important or very important. Responsive post-integration technical support is next at 88%, underscoring the operational expectations institutions place on infrastructure providers. Experience within a respondent’s specific industry (80%) and financial strength (79%) also weigh heavily in decision-making.
The Inevitability of Digital Assets in Finance
This early preview of Ripple’s 2026 survey reveals a market moving with greater alignment and intention. Across the board, companies are seeking partners and solutions that are secure, compliant, battle-tested and that enable growth and execution. The message is clear: infrastructure decisions made today will shape competitive positioning tomorrow.
Learn how your organization can prepare for this next phase of digital asset adoption.
