A new survey from Ripple finds that the majority of global finance leaders now view digital assets as essential to staying competitive. Released on Thursday, the report polled roughly 1,000 financial firms worldwide — including banks, asset managers, fintechs, and corporates — on topics ranging from adoption strategies to stablecoins, tokenization, and custody priorities. The results indicate that the industry conversation has shifted away from whether to engage with digital assets and toward how to build or acquire the infrastructure needed to support them.
Among the findings, stablecoins emerged as the most prominent use case, with 74% of respondents saying they can improve cash flow and unlock trapped capital. Ripple noted that this level of agreement signals finance leaders are viewing stablecoins as more than a new payment mechanism. Institutions are increasingly treating them as instruments for treasury management, the company said.
The survey identified several forces driving the broader shift toward digital assets. These include evolving regulatory frameworks, growing interest from large banks, wider use of fintech services, and the continued rise of stablecoins. Together, these factors appear to be accelerating institutional engagement across the sector rather than limiting it to early adopters.
Adoption strategies differ significantly depending on the type of firm. Around 47% of fintech respondents said they plan to develop their own digital asset solutions in-house, compared to just 14% of corporate respondents. By contrast, 74% of corporates indicated they intend to rely on external providers, suggesting that larger non-financial companies prefer partnership models over building proprietary infrastructure.
Tokenization is also drawing increased attention, particularly among banks and asset managers, who are prioritizing secure digital asset custody. Among those evaluating tokenization partners, 89% cited secure storage as a top concern, while token lifecycle management and primary distribution were flagged as important by 82% and 80% of respondents, respectively. The data points to a strong emphasis on safeguarding assets throughout the tokenization process.
Banks also showed notable demand for advisory support during the implementation phase. Some 85% of bank respondents described pre-issuance structuring as important, compared to 76% of asset managers. Ripple interpreted this as a sign that many institutions are looking for experienced partners to guide them through deployment, not just provide the underlying technology.
Security standards are a near-universal requirement when selecting infrastructure partners. A total of 97% of respondents said security certifications such as ISO and SOC II are important criteria in that decision. Ripple summarized the overall findings by stating that most finance leaders are no longer debating digital assets but are instead focused on how to build with them and who to build with.
Originally reported by CoinTelegraph.
