According to a recent survey by Ripple, 72% of over 1,000 global financial leaders believe that companies must offer digital asset solutions to maintain an edge in today's competitive market. This finding suggests that financial institutions are shifting their focus from whether to engage with digital assets to how to build, buy, or partner to acquire the necessary supporting infrastructure.
The survey revealed that stablecoins are the most sought-after digital asset use case, with a significant 74% of respondents believing they can improve cash flow and unlock trapped capital. Ripple noted that the evolving regulatory landscape, growing interest from major banks, widespread adoption of fintech services, and the rise of stablecoins are collectively driving the transition to digital assets.
Stablecoins Lead Digital Asset Use Cases
Respondents expressed the strongest interest in stablecoins. Ripple stated, "This widespread consensus indicates that financial leaders view stablecoins as more than just a payment method, increasingly seeing them as a key component of treasury management."
The survey further highlighted that fintech companies are leading the charge in digital asset adoption. Approximately 47% of fintech respondents plan to develop digital asset solutions in-house, compared to only 14% of corporates. However, 74% of corporates indicated a preference for partnering with external service providers.
Banks and Asset Managers Focus on Digital Asset Custody
Survey results showed a growing interest in digital asset tokenization, with banks and asset managers particularly prioritizing custody services – the secure storage of digital assets. When evaluating tokenization partners, 89% of respondents listed secure storage as their top consideration, followed by token lifecycle management (82%) and initial distribution (80%).
Bank respondents also expressed a strong need for advisory support, with 85% deeming pre-issuance structured design crucial, compared to 76% of asset managers. Ripple observed, "This suggests many institutions are seeking experienced partners for implementation guidance alongside technical deployment."
When selecting infrastructure partners, 97% of respondents emphasized the importance of security certifications such as ISO and SOC II.
The survey underscored a significant trend: digital assets are no longer optional. Ripple summarized in a post on X (formerly Twitter): "Most financial leaders are past debating the necessity of digital assets; they are actively exploring how to build and who to partner with to achieve this goal."