A growing number of institutional investors are embracing digital assets, driven by improving sentiment and the emergence of new use cases, as indicated by a recent survey from Nomura and its crypto subsidiary Laser Digital. The study, which gathered responses from over 500 investment professionals in Japan, found that 31% of respondents now hold a positive view of crypto over the next year, up from 25% in 2024. Meanwhile, negative sentiment has decreased, suggesting a gradual shift in perception as the asset class matures.
A key theme emerging from the survey is the role of crypto in portfolio diversification, with 65% of respondents viewing it as a vital tool for this purpose. 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 a changing regulatory landscape, with policymakers in Japan refining crypto frameworks over the past year. Globally, clearer rules and the expansion of crypto investment products have reduced uncertainty, encouraging institutions to explore digital assets beyond simple price exposure. Over 60% of respondents expressed interest in more sophisticated strategies such as staking, lending, derivatives, and tokenized assets, reflecting a growing demand for yield-generating investments. Additionally, stablecoins are gaining popularity, with 63% of respondents identifying potential use cases including treasury management, cross-border payments, and investment in tokenized securities.
While challenges such as volatility, counterparty risk, and valuation frameworks remain, the survey suggests that institutions are increasingly focused on how to invest in crypto, rather than whether to do so, indicating that digital assets are becoming a more standard component of institutional portfolios.