A new survey from Ripple finds that the majority of global finance leaders no longer view digital assets as optional. Released on Thursday, the report polled roughly 1,000 financial firms worldwide — including banks, asset managers, fintechs, and corporates — on topics spanning adoption strategies, stablecoins, tokenization, and custody priorities. The central finding is that 72% of respondents believe companies must offer digital asset solutions to remain competitive in the current environment.
Among the various use cases explored, stablecoins emerged as the most prominent. Some 74% of respondents said stablecoins have the potential to improve cash flow and unlock capital that would otherwise remain inaccessible. Ripple noted that this level of agreement signals finance leaders are viewing stablecoins as instruments for treasury management rather than simply a new mechanism for executing payments.
The report highlights a clear divide in how different types of firms plan to engage with digital assets. Around 47% of fintech respondents indicated they intend to build their own digital asset infrastructure, compared to just 14% of corporate respondents. By contrast, 74% of corporates said they plan to rely on external providers, suggesting that strategy and resources play a significant role in shaping each sector’s approach.
Tokenization is also drawing increased attention, particularly among banks and asset managers. Secure storage, or digital asset custody, ranked as the top concern for those evaluating tokenization partners, with 89% citing it as a priority. Token lifecycle management and primary distribution followed closely, cited by 82% and 80% of respondents, respectively.
Banks showed notably strong demand for advisory support throughout the process. Some 85% of bank respondents identified pre-issuance structuring as an important service, compared to 76% of asset managers. Ripple interpreted this as a sign that many institutions are looking for experienced partners who can guide implementation alongside the deployment of new technology.
Security standards also featured prominently in how firms evaluate potential infrastructure partners. A striking 97% of respondents said security certifications — such as ISO and SOC II — are an important factor when selecting a partner. Ripple attributed the broader shift toward digital assets to a combination of evolving regulation, growing interest from large banks, expanded use of fintech services, and the continued rise of stablecoins.
Ripple summarized the overall mood among finance leaders in a post on X, stating that most are no longer debating whether to engage with digital assets but are instead focused on how to build with them and which partners to work with. The findings suggest the industry has moved past the question of adoption and is now concentrated on the practical steps required to implement digital asset infrastructure at scale.
Originally reported by CoinTelegraph.
