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 survey by Nomura and its digital asset subsidiary, Laser Digital. The survey, 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, the introduction of clearer rules and the approval of crypto investment products such as ETFs and tokenized assets have reduced uncertainty and encouraged institutional investment. As a result, interest in crypto 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. While concerns around volatility and regulatory uncertainty persist, the survey suggests that the conversation around crypto is shifting from whether to invest to how to invest, indicating that digital assets are becoming an increasingly important component of institutional portfolios.