Ripple’s 2026 survey of 1,000+ finance leaders finds 74% back stablecoins for cash-flow efficiency and working capital gains. Digital assets go mainstream.
Stablecoins are no longer a payments novelty. That much is clear from Ripple’s newly released 2026 Digital Asset Survey. The study pulled responses from over 1,000 finance executives across banks, fintechs, asset managers, and corporates worldwide.
Seventy-four percent of those leaders said stablecoins can boost cash-flow efficiency and free up trapped working capital. That is not a payments story. It is a treasury management story.
Finance Leaders See Digital Assets as Table Stakes Now
According to BSCNews on X, the survey found that nearly three-quarters of global finance leaders now view digital asset solutions as table stakes to stay competitive. Seventy-two percent of respondents said companies that fail to adopt digital asset solutions risk falling behind. BSCNews noted in the post that fintechs are building in-house while corporates lean on outside providers.
The Ripple survey, published March 19, 2026, covered institutions across geographies. Its findings signal something bigger than individual company decisions. A broad consensus is forming around specific use cases.
Stablecoins drew the strongest overall support. Finance leaders see them as tools for treasury operations, not just transaction rails. The distinction matters. Treasury management is a far more conservative function than payments. That these executives are bringing stablecoins into that conversation says something.
Fintechs Are Running While Banks Are Still Lacing Up
Fintechs are the clear leaders, per the report. Thirty-one percent already collect payments in stablecoins on behalf of customers. Twenty-nine percent accept them directly. More fintechs, 47%, plan to build their own digital asset solutions compared to only 14% of corporates.
Corporates move differently. Seventy-four percent said they prefer working with external partners over building internally. That split between build and buy reflects how different institutions approach risk and speed.
Banks are a different case. Eighty-five percent said pre-issuance structuring consultancy is important to them. They want guidance, not just technology. Asset managers placed more weight on primary distribution, with 80% ranking it as a top priority.
Custody keeps coming up. Among those exploring stablecoin payments, 57% want a partner offering integrated custody, orchestration and compliance in one place. They do not want to hold stablecoin balances directly.
The Partner Question Is Not Just a Preference
Among infrastructure considerations, security ranked first. Ninety-seven percent of all respondents said certifications like ISO and SOC II are important or very important. Responsive post-integration technical support came second at 88%.
More than half of fintechs and financial institutions prefer a single provider handling everything. For corporates, that figure jumps to 71%. Managing multiple vendors is getting harder as governance demands tighten.
Regulatory clarity (40%), security (37%), compliance requirements (30%) and price volatility (29%) all ranked high as partner selection concerns. Experience in the respondent’s specific industry also weighed in at 80%.
Tokenization interest is also growing fast. Among those evaluating tokenization partners, 89% named digital asset storage and custody as a top priority. Banks placed token lifecycle management at 82%. Asset managers ranked primary distribution at 80%.
The picture the survey draws is of a financial industry that has moved past debating whether digital assets belong. The debate now is about who to trust with them and how fast to move.
