A new survey conducted by Nomura, a Tokyo-based bank, and its cryptocurrency division, Laser Digital, has found that institutional investors are increasingly adopting digital assets, driven by improving sentiment and the emergence of new use cases. The study, which gathered responses from over 500 investment professionals in Japan, discovered that 31% of respondents now have a positive outlook on cryptocurrency over the next year, up from 25% in 2024, while negative sentiment has decreased. This shift in perception can be attributed to the maturation of the asset class.
A major theme that emerged from the study is the importance of diversification, with 65% of respondents viewing cryptocurrency as a vital tool for diversifying their portfolios. Furthermore, 79% of those considering investing 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, indicating that institutions are still in the early stages of adoption. The growing interest in cryptocurrency can be attributed to a changing regulatory landscape, with policymakers in Japan refining their frameworks and discussions around classification, taxation, and investor protections.
Globally, clearer regulations and the approval of cryptocurrency investment products, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and tokenized assets, have reduced uncertainty and encouraged institutions to invest. 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, reflecting a growing demand for yield-generating strategies and more sophisticated portfolio construction. Stablecoins are also gaining traction, with 63% of respondents identifying potential use cases, including treasury management, cross-border payments, and investment in tokenized securities.
However, barriers to adoption still exist, 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 focusing on how to invest in digital assets rather than debating whether to do so, indicating that cryptocurrency is becoming a standard component of institutional portfolios.