According to a new survey conducted by Nomura and its crypto subsidiary Laser Digital, institutional investors are increasingly embracing digital assets, driven by improving sentiment and the emergence of new use cases. The survey, which gathered responses from over 500 investment professionals in Japan, found that 31% of respondents now have a positive outlook on crypto for the next year, up from 25% in 2024. Meanwhile, negative sentiment has decreased, indicating a gradual shift in perception as the asset class matures. A key finding is that 65% of respondents consider crypto a vital portfolio diversifier, 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 portfolios to crypto, suggesting they are still in the early stages of adoption. This shift is supported by a changing regulatory landscape, with policymakers in Japan refining crypto frameworks over the past year.
Globally, clearer regulations and the approval of crypto investment products such as ETFs and tokenized assets have reduced uncertainty, prompting institutions to move beyond simple price exposure. Over 60% of respondents expressed interest in staking, lending, derivatives, and tokenized assets, reflecting a growing demand for yield-generating strategies and more sophisticated portfolio construction.
Stablecoins are also gaining traction, with 63% of respondents identifying potential use cases such as treasury management and cross-border payments. While concerns around volatility and regulatory uncertainty persist, the survey suggests that institutions are now focused on how to invest in crypto, rather than whether to do so, indicating that digital assets are becoming a more mainstream component of institutional portfolios.