Ripple’s 2026 global survey of more than 1,000 finance leaders found that 72% believe that finance leaders must offer digital asset solutions to stay competitive.
The respondents spanned banks, asset managers, fintechs, and corporates. Their answers reflect growing consensus around stablecoins, tokenization, and the need for trusted infrastructure partners.
Stablecoins and Tokenization Drive Institutional Demand
Among the digital asset use cases covered in the survey, stablecoins drew the strongest support. 74% of respondents said stablecoins “boost cash-flow efficiency and unlock trapped working capital,” going well beyond simple payment execution.
That finding aligns with broader market trends. The global stablecoin market cap surpassed $300 billion in early March, amid growing adoption across the broader financial ecosystem.
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Tokenization interest is also accelerating. The report noted that the majority of banks and asset managers are looking for partners to support their strategies. When evaluating tokenization partners, 89% flagged digital asset custody and storage as a top priority.
“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,” Ripple wrote.
Banks ranked token lifecycle management highly at 82%, while asset managers emphasized primary distribution at 80%.
The survey revealed that most institutions prefer a single infrastructure provider for their digital asset needs. Slightly more than half of fintechs and financial institutions favor a one-stop-shop solution. Among corporates, that figure jumps to 71%.
Security emerged as the dominant criterion for partner selection. 97% of respondents identified certifications such as ISO and SOC II as important or very important.
Responsive post-integration technical support followed at 88%, while industry-specific experience (80%) and financial strength (79%) also carried significant weight.
“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%),” the report added.
Ripple emphasized that the infrastructure choices finance leaders make now will ultimately determine how well they compete in the years ahead.
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