99% of European Financial Institutions Expect Policy Support for Digital Assets

Fireblocks survey reveals 99% of mainland European and 100% of UK financial institutions anticipate regulatory support for digital assets, with MiCA driving funding commitments.

Woofun AI data shows that Fireblocks released its 2026 Financial Grid survey, drawing responses from over 600 senior executives. The findings indicate that 99% of mainland European financial institutions and all surveyed UK entities expect policies to facilitate digital asset adoption. While the European Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) has established a clear framework, resulting in 53% of mainland European firms committing funding by 2026—above the 42% global average—the UK’s regulatory structure remains under development, with 36% having set budgets and 59% planning allocations for 2026.

European institutions identified reliable connectivity between digital assets and fiat currencies as the primary obstacle at 55%, followed by production-ready use cases at 49% and institutional-grade infrastructure at 40%. In contrast, 71% of UK institutions cited core system limitations as a barrier, while 60% prioritized reputation and long-term financial stability when selecting service providers. Top use cases in both regions include 24/7 settlement and real-time payments, cited by 86% in Europe and 82% in the UK.

Additionally, 62% of European institutions plan to utilize tokenized money market funds, compared to 45% in the UK, whereas 50% of UK institutions intend to issue stablecoins, surpassing the 40% figure in mainland Europe.