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 cryptocurrency division, Laser Digital. The study, which gathered responses from over 500 investment professionals in Japan, found that 31% of respondents now have a positive outlook on cryptocurrency 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 study is diversification, with 65% of respondents viewing cryptocurrency as a vital component of portfolio diversification. Furthermore, 79% of those considering investment in cryptocurrency 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 supported by a changing regulatory landscape, with policymakers in Japan refining cryptocurrency frameworks over the past year.
Globally, clearer regulations in major markets, combined with the approval and expansion of cryptocurrency investment products such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and tokenized assets, have reduced uncertainty and encouraged institutions to participate. As a result, interest in cryptocurrency 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 cryptocurrency is shifting, with institutions increasingly focused on how to invest in digital assets rather than whether to do so, indicating that cryptocurrency is becoming a more mainstream component of institutional portfolios.