A new survey conducted by Nomura and its digital asset subsidiary, Laser Digital, reveals a significant shift in institutional investors' attitudes towards digital assets. The study, which gathered responses from over 500 investment professionals in Japan, found that 31% of respondents now hold a favorable view of cryptocurrency over the next year, up from 25% in 2024.
Meanwhile, the percentage of respondents with a negative outlook has decreased, indicating a gradual change in perception as the asset class continues to mature. A key finding is that 65% of respondents consider cryptocurrency a vital component of portfolio diversification, with 79% of those considering investment planning to do so within the next three years. Most institutions anticipate allocating between 2% and 5% of their portfolio to cryptocurrency, suggesting that they are still in the early stages of adoption.
This shift is supported by a changing regulatory landscape, with Japan's policymakers refining cryptocurrency frameworks over the past year. Globally, clearer regulations and the expansion of cryptocurrency investment products have reduced uncertainty, encouraging institutions to explore digital assets beyond simple price exposure. Over 60% of respondents expressed interest in strategies such as staking, lending, derivatives, and tokenized assets, reflecting a growing demand for yield-generating investments and more complex portfolio construction. The use of stablecoins is also becoming more prevalent, with 63% of respondents identifying potential applications in treasury management, cross-border payments, and investment in tokenized securities.
Despite the progress, challenges such as volatility, counterparty risk, and the lack of established valuation frameworks remain. However, the survey suggests that the focus of the conversation is shifting from whether to invest in cryptocurrency to how to do so, indicating that digital assets are becoming an increasingly important component of institutional portfolios.