Ripple data indicates that stablecoins are increasingly being adopted as a primary resource for corporate treasury management.

A recent survey conducted by Ripple involving over 1,000 finance leaders worldwide indicates that digital assets are increasingly regarded as a strategic essential rather than merely an optional initiative.

Ripple’s survey indicates that banks, fintechs, and corporations are all embracing crypto. (Ripple/Modified by CoinDesk)

Key points:

• A recent Ripple survey of over 1,000 global finance leaders reveals that digital assets are now perceived as a strategic necessity, rather than just an optional trial.
• Seventy percent of participants indicate that businesses must provide digital asset solutions to remain competitive, with stablecoins recognized as particularly beneficial for enhancing cash-flow efficiency and accessing working capital.
• Fintech companies are at the forefront of digital asset adoption, while banks and asset managers concentrate on tokenization, secure custody, and certified infrastructure—choices that respondents believe will influence future competitive advantages.

Digital assets have transitioned from being a marginal experiment in finance to becoming integral to how banks, asset managers, fintechs, and corporations approach money transfer, value storage, and risk management.

This is the main insight drawn from Ripple’s survey of over 1,000 global finance leaders, which highlights the urgent importance of digital assets in the industry.

Seventy percent of those surveyed stated that finance executives must implement some form of digital asset solution to stay competitive, reflecting a widespread belief that the “digital asset revolution” is already in progress.

Stablecoins, which are digital tokens linked to fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar, have emerged as the most compelling application: 74% of leaders believe that stablecoins can enhance cash-flow efficiency and unlock working capital, emphasizing their increasing usefulness as treasury tools rather than solely as payment mechanisms.

Fintech firms are leading the way in the utilization of digital assets, with a greater proportion already employing digital assets in treasury and payments compared to banks or corporations. Approximately 31% use stablecoins for customer payment collection, and 29% accept stablecoins directly. Many also depend on digital asset custodians and infrastructure providers for custody, while 47% of fintech firms express a desire to develop their own solutions.

A growing number of banks and asset managers are looking to tokenize assets and require partners to facilitate this process. Among those seeking partnerships, 89% prioritize secure storage and custody. Additionally, banks place significant importance on token management (82%), while asset managers focus more on distribution (80%).

Almost all participants—97%—identified security and certifications such as ISO and SOC 2 as essential, with operational support and industry-specific experience also regarded as significant considerations.

The conclusion is clear: digital assets are evolving into a strategic necessity, and the infrastructure choices made today are anticipated to influence competitive advantages in the future.