Digital assets seen to go mainstream within five years as institutional adoption grows

Institutional expectations for digital assets have shifted sharply, according to a State Street Corporation survey released October 6, 2026. Of 300 global asset managers, asset owners and wealth managers surveyed, 51% predict digital assets will become mainstream within five years. That figure has risen from 42% in 2025 and from 11% in 2024, while only 3% believe digital assets will not go mainstream. The findings point to growing investor confidence across Asia Pacific and globally as markets mature and regulation becomes more sophisticated.

Operational readiness is also advancing. The survey found that 35% of respondents already manage or distribute digital assets, and a further 28% have the provider relationships and infrastructure in place to do so as client demand builds. Angus Fletcher, head of digital asset solutions at State Street, said most institutions have moved past debating whether digital assets matter and are now focused on practical concerns. "Investors are spending less time debating the technology and more time focused on infrastructure, operations, regulation and risk. That tells us the market is maturing," Fletcher said in a statement.

Selection criteria for service providers reflect this pragmatic focus. Sixty-nine percent of respondents identified experience operating within an appropriate regulatory framework as the most important characteristic of a digital asset service provider. Cybersecurity ranked second at 54%, followed by financial strength at 47%.

On the tokenisation front, Fidelity International issued its first tokenised liquidity solution on Sygnum's tokenisation platform, which is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. A tokenised liquidity solution takes an asset on-chain and provides the infrastructure for the resulting tokens to be traded or used as collateral.