On Thursday, Ripple released the findings of a global survey of more than 1,000 financial leaders and said that “the digital asset revolution is already happening.”
The study, conducted in early 2026 and covering banks, asset managers, fintechs and corporate treasuries, found mighty momentum towards cryptocurrency adoption, with stablecoins and tokenization emerging as the main operate cases.
Ripple discovers fintechs exploiting cryptocurrencies
According to Ripple, 72% of respondents be careful Finance leaders must offer digital asset solutions to remain competitive. Among specific applications, stablecoins have generated the most enthusiasm.
74% of participants said that stablecoins can improve cash flow efficiency and unlock trapped working capital, as well as enable faster settlements – benefits that companies see as competitive differentiators.
The Fintech companies included in the sample stand out as early adopters and innovators. The Ripple survey shows that fintechs are already using them more often than banks or corporations digital resources in treasury and payments, and to introduce customer-facing crypto wallets.
Notably, 31% of fintech respondents said they operate stablecoins to collect customer payments, and 29% accept payments directly in stablecoins. A comparable percentage rely on third-party custodians or infrastructure providers to secure assets.
Fintechs are also more likely to build original solutions—47% prefer in-house development, while most corporations (74%) expect to work with external vendors for implementation.
Move towards tokenized assets and stablecoins
The study further shows that interest in tokenizing financial assets is growing among banks and asset managers, and that most institutions evaluating tokenization strategies are prioritizing custody solutions. Of the evaluators tokenization partners, 89% considered storing and caring for digital assets as a top priority.
Token handling and lifecycle management are also highly valued by banks (82%), while asset managers place a mighty emphasis on primary distribution (80%). Advisory services also matter: 85% of banks considered pre-issuance structuring advice vital, compared to 76% of asset managers.
When choosing partners, respondents prioritized regulatory clarity (40%), security and storage (37%), compliance capabilities (30%), and price volatility management (29%).
Security certifications and operational support have proven to be almost universal requirements. Ripple reports that 97% of participants consider certifications such as ISO and SOC II to be vital or very vital.
Responsive technical support after integration also ranks very high at 88%, reflecting the institution’s operational expectations. Deep industry experience (80%) and financial strength (79%) are additional deciding factors for buyers vetting infrastructure partners.
The study also highlights practical preferences among research institutions stablecoin collections or payments: 57% said they want a partner that offers integrated care, orchestration and compliance so that the institution itself can avoid holding stablecoin balances.
Ripple described the results as an early glimpse into a broader market adjustment around digital assets. “This early preview of Ripple’s 2026 study reveals that the market is moving with greater alignment and intention,” the company said.
While Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) saw 3% declines over the same period, XRP, the Ripple-related cryptocurrency, was trading at $1.43 at the time of writing, showing a slight retracement of 0.7% over the 24-hour period.
Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
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