Nomura Securities: Nearly 80% of Institutions Plan to Invest in Cryptocurrency, with DeFi as the Focus

April 16 — A new survey from financial giant Nomura Securities, the “2026 Digital Asset Institutional Investor Survey,” finds nearly 80% of institutional investors plan to allocate 2% to 5% of their total assets under management (AUM) to cryptocurrencies. Some 65% of respondents view crypto as a diversification tool on par with stocks, bonds and commodities. The survey included institutional investors and family offices overseeing more than $600 billion in combined AUM. On investment priorities: Over two-thirds of respondents are interested in earning returns via decentralized finance (DeFi) mechanisms like staking, 65% are exploring lending and tokenized assets, and 63% are looking into derivatives and stablecoins. Also, 63% see stablecoins as having practical use cases — including cash management, cross-border payments and investing in tokenized assets — with those issued by major financial institutions being the most trusted. Nomura noted regulatory clarity, greater awareness and improved risk management frameworks are key to driving further institutional investment in digital assets. While challenges remain — including a lack of clear asset valuation methods and regulatory uncertainty — the rollout of diversified investment products and better risk management practices are speeding up institutional adoption.