Ripple said a survey of more than 1,000 global finance leaders shows digital assets are moving into the mainstream of financial operations. Banks, asset managers, fintech firms and corporates are increasingly treating them as part of how they move money, store value and manage risk. In the survey, 70% of respondents said finance leaders need to offer some form of digital asset solution to remain competitive.
Stablecoins stand out beyond payment use cases
Among the use cases covered in the survey, stablecoins drew the strongest response. Ripple found that 74% of finance leaders believe stablecoins can improve cash-flow efficiency and unlock working capital. That shifts the conversation. Stablecoins are no longer being viewed only as payment rails tied to fiat currencies such as the U.S. dollar; they are also being considered as treasury tools inside corporate finance operations.
Fintech firms are ahead in adoption
Fintech companies appear to be moving faster than banks and corporates in putting digital assets to work. According to the survey, a larger share of fintechs already use digital assets in treasury and payments. About 31% use stablecoins to collect payments for customers, while 29% accept stablecoins directly. Many rely on digital asset custodians and infrastructure providers for custody, though 47% of fintechs said they want to build their own solutions.
Banks and asset managers focus on custody and tokenization
Banks and asset managers are also looking at digital assets, with tokenization ranking high on the agenda. Among respondents pursuing that route, 89% said safe storage and custody come first. Banks placed heavy emphasis on token management, at 82%, while asset managers were more focused on distribution, at 80%. The split suggests that demand for infrastructure is broad, but priorities differ by institution type.
Security credentials remain a near-universal requirement
Security was one of the clearest common themes in the survey. Ripple said 97% of respondents identified security and certifications such as ISO and SOC 2 as critical. Operational support and industry-specific experience also ranked highly. The survey points to a simple conclusion drawn from current adoption plans: digital assets are increasingly being treated as a strategic requirement, and infrastructure choices are becoming part of competitive positioning.