A growing number of institutional investors are embracing digital assets, driven by improving sentiment and the emergence of new use cases. According to a recent study by Nomura and its crypto division, Laser Digital, which surveyed over 500 investment professionals in Japan, 31% of respondents now have a positive outlook on crypto for the next year, up from 25% in 2024.
Meanwhile, negative sentiment has decreased, indicating a gradual shift in perception as the asset class matures. A key finding is that 65% of respondents consider crypto a vital portfolio diversifier, with 79% of those considering investment planning to do so within the next three years. Most expect to allocate between 2% and 5% of their portfolio to crypto, suggesting that institutions are still in the early stages of adoption. This shift is supported by a changing regulatory landscape, with Japan refining its crypto frameworks over the past year, including discussions on classification, taxation, and investor protection.
Globally, clearer rules and the expansion of crypto investment products have reduced uncertainty, encouraging institutions to invest. As a result, interest 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 and cross-border payments. However, concerns around volatility, counterparty risk, and valuation frameworks remain.
Despite these challenges, 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.