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Established financial entities are overcoming their hesitations regarding cryptocurrencies, and this transition is gaining momentum in 2026.
Banks, brokerage firms, and exchanges are rapidly introducing crypto-related offerings as the demand from individual investors, corporate entities, and high-net-worth clients reaches a critical threshold.
David Ripley, co-chief executive of the cryptocurrency exchange Kraken, informed Axios that “practically every conventional financial services firm will offer crypto, bitcoin, ethereum to their clientele” — a trend he characterized as “a major development for 2026.”
This shift signifies a broader convergence of significant forces reshaping financial landscapes. Stablecoins, asset tokenization, artificial intelligence, and continuous trading hours are collectively forging a financial ecosystem that is more digitized, globalized, and operates perpetually.
Ripley suggested that the proliferation of stablecoins — digital representations of traditional assets built on blockchain technology — has prepared investors for subsequent innovations, such as tokenized public securities.
“The subsequent most significant area where we anticipate tokenized equity or tokenized assets will emerge is within public equities,” he stated.
The implications are substantial. Kraken recently unveiled its intention to provide tokenized initial public offering (IPO) shares to individual investors, aiming to reach everyday Americans who, according to Ripley, have been “completely excluded” from participating in major wealth-generating ventures until their later stages of development.
The IPO sector itself is poised for an unprecedented influx. SpaceX is reportedly aiming for a Nasdaq listing this week, intending to secure approximately $75 billion in funding at a $1.7 trillion valuation — a move that would establish it as the most significant IPO in history.
Nasdaq’s Chief Financial Officer, Sarah Youngwood, conveyed to Axios that the U.S. market possesses the capacity to accommodate a series of multi-trillion dollar offerings, including those from OpenAI and Anthropic, without necessitating fundamental structural adjustments.
Nasdaq is actively expanding into round-the-clock trading, mirroring the continuous operation of cryptocurrency markets.
Coinbase Executive: Institutions Are Acquiring Assets
These statements to Axios come as bitcoin hovers near the $60,000 mark. However, its 50% depreciation from its peak has not deterred significant institutional investors, according to John D’Agostino, head of institutional strategy at Coinbase. He reports that sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and other major investors are actively purchasing during this price decline.
Mubadala, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, has augmented its investment in BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF for the fourth consecutive quarter. Collectively, Bitcoin ETFs continue to manage approximately $100 billion in assets, notwithstanding the market’s downturn.
D’Agostino attributed the market retreat to a confluence of factors, including macroeconomic uncertainty, elevated interest rates, regulatory setbacks, geopolitical instability, and apprehension stemming from Strategy’s sale of 32 BTC. Nevertheless, he affirmed that institutions maintain a strong conviction in Bitcoin’s long-term value, a sentiment further validated by Strategy’s subsequent acquisition of 1,550 BTC for $101 million.
According to the portal: bitcoinmagazine.com