Monica Long, the president of Ripple, forecasts a significant shift in the corporate landscape regarding the adoption of cryptocurrency strategies. By the end of 2026, she anticipates that half of the Fortune 500 companies will embrace formal crypto strategies, fueled largely by the increasing prevalence of stablecoins as the primary means for global transactions.
Long asserts that stablecoins are poised to replace traditional payment systems entirely within the next five years. This paradigm shift is already underway, as major financial players like Visa and Stripe begin to integrate stablecoin infrastructure into their operational frameworks. Recent legislation, such as the GENIUS Act, has facilitated the establishment of compliant U.S. stablecoins, which Long believes will become the standard for continuous global payments.
Additionally, a key development for Ripple came with its recent conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish a national trust bank. This positions Ripple USD as a leading contender for programmable payments, reinforcing Long’s assertion of the inevitable transition towards stablecoin usage in corporate liquidity management.
B2B payment processes have seen substantial growth, with stablecoin adoption projected to reach an annualized total of $76 billion by 2025, a staggering increase from the under $100 million monthly observed at the beginning of 2023. This surge represents a huge opportunity in the estimated $700 billion currently stagnant on corporate balance sheets, which stablecoins could effectively mobilize. Long predicts that by 2026, corporate balance sheets will likely hold over $1 trillion in digital assets and that a substantial portion of Fortune 500 companies will be actively working on crypto strategies.
Data points from a Coinbase Global survey underline this movement, with 60% of Fortune 500 companies reportedly engaged in blockchain initiatives. The trend is reflected in public markets too, as over 200 firms now utilize Bitcoin as part of their treasury strategies—up from just four in 2020.
The appetite for crypto ETFs has also been growing, with more than 40 launched in 2025, although they still account for only 1-2% of the total U.S. ETF market, indicating robust potential for institutional investment inflows. Long anticipates that by 2026, as major custodian banks and clearing houses adopt tokenization, 5-10% of capital markets settlements will occur on-chain.
The acquisition landscape within the crypto sector is heating up, with mergers and acquisitions hitting $8.6 billion in 2025—primarily driven by institutional interest. Long predicts that more than half of the world’s largest banks will formalize new custody arrangements by 2026, responding to a trend toward commoditization in custody services.
In addition to witnessing traditional financial institutions bolster their crypto-related services, the confluence of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology is set to revolutionize financial operations. Stablecoins and smart contracts will facilitate automated liquidity management, margin calls, and yield optimization, while AI could enable real-time portfolio adjustments for asset managers participating in 24/7 on-chain markets.
Innovative technologies like zero-knowledge proofs stand to enhance lending practices by allowing AI to assess credit risk without exposing private data, thereby reducing friction in lending processes and promoting wider adoption of digital assets in regulated environments.
In this rapidly evolving landscape, companies specializing in various asset classes and investment strategies are emerging to help individuals and institutions navigate the complexities of diversifying their portfolios, from real estate and private tech ventures to alternative investments like art and multifamily real estate opportunities. This diversity aims to provide stability and enhance long-term growth despite the market’s volatility.
As digital assets increasingly permeate various investment strategies, platforms that offer efficient and transparent trading experiences are becoming vital for both individual and institutional traders, who are seeking reliable ways to diversify their portfolios and manage risk effectively.
