A new study by Nomura and its digital asset arm, Laser Digital, indicates that 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 have a positive outlook on crypto for the next year, up from 25% in 2024, while negative sentiment has decreased.
This shift in perception suggests that the asset class is maturing. The key theme of diversification is prominent, with 65% of respondents viewing crypto as a vital portfolio diversifier, and 79% of those considering investment planning to do so within 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. The changing regulatory landscape, including refined crypto frameworks in Japan and clearer rules globally, has supported this shift. The approval of crypto investment products such as ETFs and tokenized assets has also reduced uncertainty, prompting institutions to look 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 complex portfolio construction. 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. Despite lingering concerns around volatility, counterparty risk, and valuation frameworks, 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.