According to a new survey conducted by Nomura and its digital assets arm, Laser Digital, institutional investors are increasingly embracing digital assets, driven by improving sentiment and the emergence of new use cases. The survey, which collected responses from over 500 investment professionals in Japan, found that 31% of respondents now hold a positive view of crypto for the upcoming year, up from 25% in 2024. Meanwhile, the decline in negative sentiment suggests a gradual shift in perception as the asset class matures. A key finding is that 65% of respondents view crypto as a means to diversify their portfolios, 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, indicating that they are still in the early stages of adoption. This shift is supported by a changing regulatory landscape, with Japan's policymakers refining crypto frameworks over the past year, including discussions on classification, taxation, and investor protection. Globally, clearer regulations and the expansion of crypto investment products, such as ETFs and tokenized assets, have reduced uncertainty and encouraged institutions to participate.
As a result, interest in crypto is expanding beyond simple price exposure, with over 60% of respondents expressing 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, including treasury management, cross-border payments, and investment in tokenized securities.
Despite remaining barriers, such as concerns over volatility and regulatory uncertainty, the survey suggests that the conversation is shifting from whether to invest in crypto to how to do so, indicating that digital assets are becoming a more standard component of institutional portfolios.