A growing number of institutional investors are embracing digital assets, driven by improving sentiment and the emergence of new use cases, according to a recent study by Nomura and its digital assets subsidiary, Laser Digital. The survey, which gathered insights from over 500 investment professionals in Japan, found that 31% of respondents now hold a positive view of crypto's prospects over the next year, up from 25% in 2024.
Meanwhile, the percentage of respondents with a negative outlook has decreased, indicating a gradual shift in perception as the asset class continues to mature. A key finding of the study is the importance of diversification, with 65% of respondents viewing crypto as a vital component of portfolio diversification.
Furthermore, 79% of those considering investing in crypto plan to do so within the next three years, with most expecting to allocate between 2% and 5% of their portfolio to digital assets. This shift is being supported by an evolving regulatory landscape, with policymakers in Japan refining crypto frameworks and global markets introducing clearer rules and investment products such as ETFs and tokenized assets. As a result, interest in digital assets is expanding beyond simple price exposure, with over 60% of respondents expressing interest in staking, lending, derivatives, and tokenized assets.
Stablecoins are also gaining traction, with 63% of respondents identifying potential use cases such as treasury management, cross-border payments, and investment in tokenized securities. However, barriers to adoption remain, including concerns around volatility, counterparty risk, and the lack of established valuation frameworks.
Despite these challenges, the survey suggests that the conversation around digital assets is shifting, with institutions increasingly 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.