Ripple’s early 2026 survey of more than 1,000 global finance leaders found that 72% now regard digital asset solutions as critical to staying competitive. Banks, fintech firms, and asset managers are no longer treating the sector as an optional innovation track. The focus has shifted toward core infrastructure, especially around stablecoins, tokenization, and integrated service models.
Stablecoins Move Deeper Into Treasury and Payments
Among the use cases covered in the survey, stablecoins showed the strongest operational momentum. About 74% of respondents said stablecoins improve cash-flow efficiency and help unlock working capital. That places them well beyond the experimental stage. They are being used more directly as financial tools inside existing payment and treasury frameworks.
Fintech companies are leading that rollout. The survey said 31% of fintechs use stablecoins to collect payments, while 29% accept them directly. Those figures point to faster deployment in day-to-day operations, particularly where payment processing and treasury management already rely on flexible digital infrastructure.
Corporates Lean Toward External Providers
Corporate respondents showed a different pattern. Roughly 74% said they plan to work with outside providers rather than build systems in-house. The preference appears tied to execution pressure. Running multiple internal systems can add operational burden and complicate compliance work, while third-party infrastructure can reduce deployment time.
That is also lifting demand for infrastructure partners that can deliver ready-made solutions. The survey points to a market where institutions are not only comparing product features. They are also weighing implementation speed, compliance alignment, and the cost of supporting digital asset operations over time.
Security, Custody, and One-Stop Platforms Rank High
As adoption broadens, institutions are placing heavier weight on custody and security. Among respondents exploring tokenization, 89% identified digital asset storage as a top priority. Banks and asset managers are also focusing on lifecycle management and distribution capabilities, which shows that attention is moving from basic access toward full-service operational support.
Ripple’s survey found that about 85% of banks value pre-issuance structuring support, while 76% of asset managers placed similar importance on that area. Institutions are looking for more than technical rails. They also want guidance around how products are prepared and launched. Interest in integrated providers is rising as well, with more than half of fintechs and financial institutions preferring one-stop-shop solutions, and that figure reaching 71% among corporates.
Security remains the leading filter in partner selection. Nearly all respondents prioritize certifications such as ISO and SOC II, while 88% said post-integration support matters. The survey presents a clear direction: digital assets are moving into the center of financial services strategy, and institutions are organizing around secure custody, trusted partners, and practical deployment.