Ripple "Stablecoins and custody infrastructure will become the standard for institutional finance in 2026"

Monica Long (President) of Ripple presented ▲ the spread of stablecoins ▲ expansion of ETFs and corporate digital asset exposure ▲ custody-based M&A ▲ convergence of blockchain and AI as the key global digital asset industry trends for next year.

On the 22nd, Long said in an official statement that she views 2025 as a transition period in which institutional adoption and technological advancement become full-scale, and that this trend will spread across financial infrastructure in 2026.

Long identified stablecoins as the most important factor of change. She said, "Stablecoins will integrate with existing financial infrastructure within the next five years and become fully embedded in global payment systems," adding, "They will become a primary means for cross-border payments." She cited the commercialization of USDC-based merchant payments by Visa and Stripe as an example, calling it "a signal that stablecoin payment networks and existing corporate payment flows are beginning to connect in earnest."

She also cited changes in the U.S. regulatory environment as supporting factors for the spread of stablecoins. Long said, "The GENIUS Act has established the legal foundation for the digital dollar era," adding, "By 2027, banks and financial institutions will issue and hold regulated stablecoins at scale." She cited Ripple's RLUSD as an example, adding, "A highly compliant stablecoin will become the standard for the digital dollar and a core asset enabling programmable 24/7 global payments."

She explained that changes are accelerating in corporate finance as well. Long emphasized, "Stablecoin-based B2B payments can do more than improve speed; they can free up corporate working capital and greatly increase cash-flow efficiency." She also presented an analysis that global stablecoin payment volume amounts to about $72.3 billion on an annualized basis, with B2B payments accounting for about $36 billion of that.

She also cited the expansion of ETFs and corporate digital asset exposure as a major trend. Long said, "By 2026, about half of the Fortune 500 will have digital asset exposure or clear strategies," adding, "This will extend beyond holding Bitcoin to tokenized assets, treasury-backed tokens, and programmable digital assets." She noted that "crypto ETFs are also still in an early stage," suggesting room for market expansion.

She predicted that M&A centered on custody will also accelerate. Long said, "With increasing institutional participation, custody is emerging as a core pillar of the crypto industry structure," adding, "Strategic acquisitions and collaborations between traditional financial institutions and digital asset firms will accelerate further in 2026." She explained, "Custody platforms are evolving into full-stack operating systems that support not just safekeeping but also issuance, payments, and collateral management."

The combination of blockchain and AI was also presented as an important change. Long said, "AI and blockchain will drive automation of financial operations through smart contracts and stablecoins," adding, "On-chain fund management and real-time liquidity management will become standards for institutional treasury." She added that credit scoring and lending services using zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP) will enhance the sustainability of digital asset-based finance.

Long said, "Digital assets are no longer experimental technology but are entering as core infrastructure reshaping the financial system," and "2026 will be a turning point when these changes solidify in both regulation and the market."