According to a new study by Nomura and its crypto subsidiary Laser Digital, institutional investors' perception of digital assets is becoming increasingly positive, driven by improving sentiment and broader use cases. The survey, which polled 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. A key finding is that 65% of respondents view crypto as a vital portfolio diversifier, with 79% of those considering investment planning to do so within three years, typically allocating between 2% and 5% of their portfolio.
This shift is supported by a changing regulatory landscape, with clearer rules in major markets and the introduction of crypto investment products such as ETFs and tokenized assets. As a result, interest in crypto is expanding beyond mere price exposure, with over 60% of respondents expressing interest in staking, lending, derivatives, and tokenized assets.
Additionally, 63% of respondents identified potential use cases for stablecoins, including treasury management and cross-border payments. Despite remaining barriers such as volatility and regulatory uncertainty, the survey suggests that institutions are shifting their focus from whether to invest in crypto to how to do so, indicating that digital assets are becoming a more standard component of institutional portfolios.