Institutional appetite for digital assets remains resilient despite a sharp market downturn, with new survey data indicating that large investors intend to raise their crypto exposure in the months ahead. A January poll of 351 investors conducted by Coinbase and EY-Parthenon found that 73% plan to purchase more digital assets this year. Additionally, 74% of respondents expect prices to climb over the next 12 months, even following a 40% market-wide sell-off since October. The findings suggest that structured, compliant investment channels continue to attract capital regardless of price volatility.
Bitcoin and Ether remain the dominant entry points for institutional participants, though interest is broadening toward stablecoins and tokenized assets. Two-thirds of those surveyed indicated a preference for regulated vehicles such as exchange-traded products. The data reflects a broader trend of capital flowing through formal, oversight-compliant pathways rather than unregulated alternatives.
In Japan, SBI VC Trade is expanding stablecoin access by launching a retail lending service built around USDC, a dollar-backed token issued by Circle. The service allows users to lend USDC in return for yield, representing one of the first retail-oriented products of its kind in the country. The launch follows recent regulatory updates in Japan that permit licensed firms to handle foreign-issued stablecoins. SBI, a major financial group, has been steadily developing its crypto offerings within the country’s established legal framework.
The Japanese rollout illustrates how stablecoins are evolving beyond their traditional role as trading instruments and entering the domain of regulated financial products. Markets where legal clarity has already been achieved appear to be leading this transition. The development adds to a growing body of evidence that stablecoins are becoming embedded in mainstream financial services.
Crypto wealth manager Abra is pursuing a public listing through a merger with New Providence Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company. The deal values the combined entity at approximately $750 million, with the merged company expected to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker ABRX. Abra has refocused its business on wealth management services, including trading, custody, and yield products, following regulatory difficulties connected to its earlier lending operations. The SPAC route provides a quicker path to public markets at a time when traditional initial public offering activity remains subdued.
Tokenization platform Theo has introduced a $100 million vault linked to a gold-backed, yield-bearing stablecoin designed to offer both price stability and onchain returns. The token’s value is tied to gold, which serves as the underlying collateral, positioning it as an alternative to fiat-backed stablecoins. The structure blends commodity backing with onchain financial mechanisms, reflecting wider efforts to integrate real-world assets into crypto markets. The product underscores growing experimentation with yield-bearing stablecoins as developers seek to extend their utility beyond simple price anchoring.
Taken together, these developments point to a crypto market that continues to expand through regulated channels even as price swings and policy uncertainty persist. Public listings, institutional surveys, stablecoin lending products, and asset-backed token structures all reflect an industry increasingly oriented toward compliance and mainstream financial integration. Regulatory clarity in key markets appears to be a significant driver of this momentum.
Originally reported by CoinTelegraph.
