Digital assets are no longer a fringe experiment in finance, they’re fast becoming a core part of how banks, asset managers, fintechs and corporates plan to move money, store value and manage risk.
That’s the key takeaway from fintech firm Ripple’s survey of more than 1,000 global finance leaders, which reveals how the industry sees digital assets as urgent, and no longer optional.
Seven in 10 respondents said finance leaders must offer some kind of digital asset solution to stay competitive, underscoring a broad sense that the “digital asset revolution” is already underway.
Stablecoins, those digital tokens with values pegged to fiat currencies, such as the U.S. dollar, emerged as the most compelling use case: 74% of leaders said stablecoins can improve cash‑flow efficiency and unlock working capital, highlighting their growing appeal as treasury tools and not just payment rails.
Fintechs are leading the charge in adopting digital assets, with more of them already using digital assets in treasury and payments than banks or corporates. About 31% use stablecoins to collect payments for customers, 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 banks and asset managers want to tokenize assets and they need partners to do it. Of those looking, 89% focus on safe storage and custody first. Meanwhile, banks care a lot about token management (82%), with asset managers focusing more on distribution (80%).
Nearly all respondents – 97% – flagged security and certifications like ISO and SOC 2 as critical, with operational support and industry‑specific experience also weighing heavily.
The bottom line: digital assets are becoming a strategic necessity, and the infrastructure decisions made today are expected to shape competitive edge tomorrow.