Digital assets are no longer a fringe experiment in finance: they are quickly becoming an essential part of how banks, asset managers, fintechs and businesses think about moving money, storing value and managing risk.
That’s the key takeaway from fintech company Ripple’s survey of more than 1,000 global financial executives, which reveals the extent to which the industry views digital assets as urgent and no longer optional.
Seven in ten respondents said financial executives need to offer some sort of digital asset solution to remain competitive, underscoring the general sentiment that the “digital asset revolution” is already underway.
Stablecoins, digital tokens whose value is tied to fiat currencies like the US dollar, emerged as the most compelling use case: 74% of executives said stablecoins can improve cash flow efficiency and unlock working capital, highlighting their growing appeal as treasury tools and not just a means of payment.
Fintechs are leading the adoption of digital assets, and already more use them in treasury and payments than banks or corporations. Around 31% use stablecoins to collect customer payments and 29% accept stablecoins directly. Many also rely on digital asset custodians and infrastructure providers for custody, while 47% of fintechs want to build their own solutions.
More and more banks and asset managers want to tokenize their assets and need partners to do so. Of those who seek it, 89% are primarily focused on safe storage and safekeeping. At the same time, banks care a lot about token management (82%), with asset managers focusing more on distribution (80%).
Nearly all respondents (97%) flagged security and certifications such as ISO and SOC 2 as critical, with operational support and industry-specific experience also weighing heavily.
Bottom line: Digital assets are becoming a strategic necessity, and infrastructure decisions made today should shape competitive advantage tomorrow.
