Tokenized equities: 88% of institutional users increased activity over the past year, survey finds

Institutional adoption of tokenized equities has reached an inflection point, with a new survey of 200 global institutional investors revealing widespread momentum across major financial centers. Conducted by PureProfile in August 2026, the research commissioned by STOx Group—a provider of tokenized securities referencing large US-listed shares and ETFs—shows that 88% of institutional users increased their trading activity over the preceding year. Among respondents spanning fund managers, pension funds, hedge funds, insurance asset managers, family offices, banks, and market infrastructure providers, adoption is already substantial: 51% trade tokenized equities regularly, while a further 41% have conducted experimental trades. Only 8% remain entirely inactive, with 6% planning entry within 12 months and 2% within two years.

Current on-chain trading volumes provide the baseline for growth projections. As of May 2026, tokenized equity volumes reached $3.86 billion, according to CCData figures cited in the research. Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) expect the market to exceed $10 billion in on-chain trading volumes by June 2027—representing a 2.6x increase in approximately 12 months. Volume forecasts show a concentration at higher thresholds: 42% expect $10–$15 billion, 12% anticipate $15–$20 billion, and 11% project more than $20 billion. A more conservative 31% forecast $5–$10 billion, suggesting broad consensus around double-digit billion-dollar volumes within 18 months.

Institutional sentiment extends to the broader asset tokenization market, which Grand View Research valued at $1.8 trillion in 2025 and projects will reach $24.5 trillion by 2033. Market size expectations among respondents align closely with this thesis: 29% agree with the $24.5 trillion 2033 estimate, while 41% expect the market to reach $24.5–$25 trillion—effectively endorsing the research house's projection. An additional 18% expect $25–$26 trillion, and 10% anticipate more than $26 trillion. This concentration of expectations near the high end of the projection range suggests institutional investors view tokenization as a structural shift in capital markets infrastructure, not a cyclical trend.

The survey's geographic breadth and institutional composition provide credibility to the findings. Respondents spanned North America, the UK, continental Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific, including custodians, administrators, and market infrastructure providers whose operational involvement signals real implementation progress beyond speculative positioning. The consistent increase in activity among 88% of active users, coupled with rising adoption rates, indicates tokenized equities have transitioned from an experimental asset class to a recognized component of institutional investment infrastructure.