A survey of over 1,000 financial executives globally, released by Ripple in early 2026, indicates that digital assets are no longer a speculative point of interest in the financial industry but an operational imperative. Nearly three-quarters of respondents stated that institutions failing to offer digital asset solutions risk losing their competitive edge entirely.
The survey encompassed banks, asset management firms, fintech companies, and corporate treasury departments across various regions. The findings paint a picture of an industry that has moved beyond the debate of whether to adopt digital assets, now focusing on how to do so securely and at scale.
Stablecoins Lead the Demand
Among all digital asset applications, stablecoins garnered the most widespread consensus. 74% of respondents believe stablecoins can improve cash flow efficiency and unlock working capital that might otherwise be tied up in slow settlement systems.
The significance of this figure is amplified by its context. Treasury management is one of the most conservative functions within financial institutions. The attention stablecoins are receiving in this domain signals a shift from speculative interest to practical utility, a crucial point for regulators and institutional risk committees.
Fintech Firms Lead the Charge
Fintech firms outperformed traditional financial institutions and corporations across various adoption metrics. 31% of fintech respondents are already using stablecoins for client collections, and 29% are accepting stablecoin payments directly. Nearly half of fintech companies are building proprietary digital asset solutions in-house.
In contrast, corporations are adopting a more cautious approach. 74% of corporations plan to partner with external providers rather than develop in-house, and 71% prefer a single vendor capable of handling their entire digital asset infrastructure.
Custody Emerges as a Key Requirement
For institutions evaluating the tokenization of financial assets, custody capabilities are considered the most important partner capability, cited by 89% of respondents. Banks additionally value token lifecycle management (82%) and pre-issuance structuring advice (85%), indicating a desire for experienced guidance throughout the implementation process, not just technological deployment.
Security certifications, including ISO and SOC II compliance, were deemed important or very important by 97% of respondents, ranking as the highest consideration factor across the entire survey.