Two major financial institutions, Sygnum Bank and BlackRock, have released forward-looking reports for 2026, painting a unified picture of a maturing digital asset ecosystem transitioning from speculation to essential financial infrastructure. Sygnum's Sygnal Report and BlackRock's 2026 Thematic Outlook both highlight institutional adoption, tokenization, and regulatory clarity as key drivers poised to transform global finance.
Sygnum's analysis emphasizes a shift from exploratory phases to practical implementation. A central theme is the rise of institutional adoption, with large financial entities expected to integrate digital assets into core operations. The report predicts tokenized payment systems, or "token rails," will become standard banking infrastructure. "By year’s end, major institutions will demonstrate tangible progress in embedding these tools, marking a departure from pilot projects to core business functions," emphasized Sygnum's co-founder and group CEO.
Tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs), particularly real estate, is identified as a cornerstone. Sygnum predicts regions like Dubai will pioneer scalable models, creating standardized processes and active secondary markets. This development is seen as normalizing fractional ownership and unlocking liquidity in traditionally illiquid sectors.
The report also forecasts a robust resurgence in Decentralized Finance (DeFi), driven by enhanced protocols, stronger economic models, and deeper liquidity pools. Regulatory advancements are expected to attract substantial institutional capital, positioning DeFi as a resilient alternative to traditional finance. Furthermore, Sygnum projects that at least three major economies (equivalent to G20 nations) will incorporate Bitcoin into their national reserves, viewing it as a strategic hedge similar to gold.
In the Asia-Pacific region, tokenized assets are set to revolutionize treasury strategies for affluent investors and family offices, who may shift liquid holdings into stablecoins and yield-generating tokenized instruments. Finally, Sygnum anticipates artificial intelligence will automate up to one-third of DeFi transactions, optimizing processes and scaling adoption.
BlackRock's outlook aligns closely, positioning cryptocurrencies alongside AI and geopolitics as transformative forces. The world's largest asset manager has shifted from viewing crypto as a trading asset to recognizing it as essential infrastructure for payments, settlement, and liquidity. "Stablecoins are no longer niche, they’re becoming the bridge between traditional finance and digital liquidity," said Samara Cohen, BlackRock’s Global Head of Market Development.
BlackRock highlights the stablecoin market, which reached approximately $307 billion in early 2026, projecting growth to $500 billion or more by 2028. The firm credits regulatory clarity, specifically the U.S. GENIUS Act signed in July 2025, for accelerating this transformation into "digital dollar rails."
The success of BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) underscores institutional demand. With over $70 billion in assets gathered in just 341 trading days, it became the fastest-growing ETF in history, currently holding roughly 784,000 bitcoins. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has consistently described tokenization as "the next generation of financial markets," a vision demonstrated by the firm's BUIDL fund. This tokenized money market fund surpassed $2 billion in assets by late 2025, representing nearly half of the global tokenized U.S. Treasury market and operating on networks including Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon.
Economic pressures are cited as a key driver. BlackRock warns that U.S. federal debt exceeding $38 trillion creates vulnerabilities, pushing institutions toward alternative, non-sovereign stores of value like Bitcoin and tokenized assets. "Where government debt fails, the digital economy begins," the firm's report states.
BlackRock also highlights Ethereum's foundational role, hosting approximately $12.5 billion in tokenized RWAs (about 65% of the market) and serving as a critical settlement layer. The broader institutional landscape, including JPMorgan's tokenized fund and Circle's $1 billion IPO, supports this vision of deepening integration.
