UK Firms Plan 59% New Digital Asset Funding as Rules Take Shape
European and United Kingdom financial institutions are moving toward the same digital asset economy, but they are not starting from the same place.
Fireblocks’ 2026 Financial Grid survey, based on responses from more than 600 senior executives, found near-unanimous confidence in the regulatory outlook. Some 99% of continental European institutions and every U.K. respondent expect policy to support digital asset adoption.
The difference lies in execution.
Europe’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA) has given firms a defined framework. As a result, 53% of continental institutions had committed funding before 2026, compared with a global average of 42%.
In the U.K., where the regulatory structure remains under development, 36% had already set budgets. Another 59% plan to commit money during 2026.
Regulation Shapes Each Market’s Priorities
European institutions now see practical infrastructure as the main barrier to faster adoption. Reliable connections between digital assets and fiat currencies were cited by 55% of respondents. Proven production use cases followed at 49%, while 40% selected institutional-grade infrastructure.
Their internal challenges are largely operational. Almost half identified operating-model readiness as a major obstacle. Governance and limited expertise also ranked highly, while only 29% blamed outdated core technology.
The picture is almost reversed in the United Kingdom. Core-system limitations were a barrier for 71% of U.K. institutions. They also placed greater emphasis on infrastructure support, fiat connectivity and regulatory clarity.
That uncertainty affects how U.K. firms choose providers. Some 60% cited reputation and long-term financial stability as critical, compared with 33% in continental Europe.
Settlement Leads the Institutional Build
Both markets are concentrating first on the financial system’s plumbing.
Round-the-clock settlement and real-time payments ranked as the top use case for 86% of European respondents and 82% in the U.K. Cross-border payments and settlement for tokenized securities were also major priorities.
Europe, however, is moving faster into tokenized investment products. Some 62% plan to use tokenized money-market funds, compared with 45% in the U.K. European institutions also lead in tokenized securities and deposits.
The U.K. stands out in one area: 50% of institutions plan to issue their own stablecoins, ahead of continental Europe’s 40%.
Despite those differences, both regions want the same thing from technology partners. Security, custody, integration and resilience must come as one package.
The survey suggests Europe is building within rules already written. The U.K. is building while waiting for the final version. Both expect digital assets to become part of core financial infrastructure, but Europe currently has the shorter path to deployment.