A recent survey conducted by Tokyo-headquartered Nomura and its crypto arm, Laser Digital, reveals increasing acceptance of digital assets among institutional investors. The study surveyed over 500 investment professionals in Japan, showing a rise in positive sentiment towards cryptocurrency from 25% in 2024 to 31%. Concurrently, negative perceptions have decreased, indicating an evolving view as the asset class develops.
A significant focus is on diversification: 65% of respondents consider crypto essential for portfolio diversification. Among those contemplating investment, 79% plan to engage within three years, with expected allocations between 2% and 5%, highlighting that institutions are still early in their adoption process.
Regulatory changes are bolstering this shift. Japan has been refining its crypto regulations over the past year, including discussions on classification, taxation, and investor protection. Globally, clearer rules and the development of crypto investment products like ETFs and tokenized assets have mitigated uncertainties that previously deterred institutional involvement.
Interest is broadening beyond mere price exposure: 60% of respondents are keen on staking, lending, derivatives, and tokenized assets, indicating a demand for yield-generating strategies and more intricate portfolio structures. Stablecoins also see growing interest, with 63% identifying uses from treasury management to cross-border payments and investing in tokenized securities.
Despite this progress, challenges persist. Volatility, counterparty risk, and the lack of established valuation frameworks are ongoing concerns. Regulatory uncertainty has lessened but not entirely vanished.
The survey indicates a shift in discourse: institutions are moving past debates on crypto investment to strategize about how best to integrate it into their portfolios, signifying a step towards making digital assets a standard portfolio element.