Survey Reveals 65% of Institutional Investors View Crypto as Essential for Portfolio Diversification

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 conducted by Nomura and its digital assets division, Laser Digital. The study, which gathered responses from over 500 investment professionals in Japan, found that 31% of respondents now hold a positive outlook on crypto for the next year, up from 25% in 2024, while negative sentiment has decreased.

This shift in perception is a sign of the asset class maturing. A key finding is that 65% of respondents consider crypto a vital component for portfolio diversification, with 79% of those considering investment planning to do so within the next three years. Most institutions expect to allocate between 2% and 5% of their portfolio to crypto, indicating that they are still in the early stages of adoption.

This shift is supported by a changing regulatory landscape, with policymakers in Japan refining crypto frameworks over the past year, including discussions on classification, taxation, and investor protection. Globally, the introduction of clearer rules and the expansion of crypto investment products, such as ETFs and tokenized assets, have reduced uncertainty and encouraged institutions to engage with digital assets.

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, reflecting a growing demand for yield-generating strategies and more complex 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. Despite remaining barriers, such as concerns over volatility, counterparty risk, and valuation frameworks, the survey suggests that the conversation is shifting from whether to invest in crypto to how to do so, indicating that digital assets are becoming a more standard component of institutional portfolios.