Ripple President Says Many Fortune 500 Firms May Use Crypto by 2026

In a post published on January 20, Ripple President Monica Long shared her outlook for the crypto sector’s direction over the next two years. She said many large companies could end up holding digital assets on their balance sheets or using blockchain tools as part of their financial operations.

Global Balance Sheets Could Hold $1 Trillion in Digital Assets

Long stated that 2026 could mark the institutionalization of crypto. Trusted infrastructure is expected to push banks, corporations, and financial service providers to implement crypto strategies.

After one of crypto’s most exciting years (and Ripple’s), the industry is entering its production era. In 2026 we’ll see the institutionalization of crypto — trusted infrastructure and real utility will push banks, corporates, and providers from pilots to scale — across…

— Monica Long (@MonicaLongSF) January 20, 2026

She explained that companies would use crypto in different ways, including stablecoins, on-chain assets, custody services, and other types of institutional investments.

These changes, as little as they seem, could change the way banks and other financial institutions handle digital assets entirely.

Long described the trend as a key inflection point for broader institutional adoption and what she calls the Internet of Value, a system in which blockchain technology underpins modern finance.

Part of her bold claims includes that corporate balance sheets could hold over $1 trillion in digital assets by the end of 2026.

This already coincides with a recent CryptoQuant report that institutional investors are accumulating Bitcoin, with holdings totaling around $53 billion.

However, Long asserts this growth is not limited to mere crypto exposure. Projection includes active participation across tokenized assets, digital asset treasuries, stablecoins, on-chain Treasury bills, and programmable financial instruments.

The Ripple president also noted that the increase in mergers and acquisitions in the crypto sector shows market maturity. As of 2025, crypto M&A deal volume reached $8.6 billion, a feat largely driven by institutional players.

4/ Crypto M&A reflects market maturity, with $8.6B in deal volume in 2025 driven largely by institutions and custody emerging as the next major consolidation driver. As custody commoditizes, spurring vertical integration and multi-custodian strategies, ~50% of the world’s top 50…

— Monica Long (@MonicaLongSF) January 20, 2026

Crypto custody was also mentioned as the next major area for consolidation. As custody solutions become more standardized, banks are expected to pursue vertical integration and multi-custodian strategies.

Stablecoins and Artificial Intelligence Expected to Generate More Utility

Long also pointed out that stablecoins and artificial intelligence could play a bigger role in how companies use crypto in the coming years. She projected that stablecoins will become a primary tool for global settlement.

Rather than serving as an alternative payment system, stablecoins may evolve into a core component of treasury operations and global financial infrastructure.

Long explained that the convergence of AI and blockchain will create new ways to use crypto that were previously impossible.

For example, stablecoins and smart contracts could allow corporate treasuries to manage liquidity, execute margin calls, and optimize yield on on-chain agreements in real time, without manual intervention.

Privacy made it to the projections list. She noted that zero-knowledge proofs could allow AI systems assess creditworthiness or risk profiles without exposing sensitive data. This will slow friction in lending and broaden crypto adoption in regulated markets.

However, regulatory clarity remains key. The Ripple president believes that the crypto industry has laid both the technical and regulatory groundwork.

For example, the U.S. Senate’s latest acceleration of the CLARITY Act signals that major regulatory changes may be on the horizon. It potentially provides a framework for institutional players to expand crypto strategies confidently.

There is also an ongoing debate on the recently passed GENIUS Act and how it could affect crypto’s future. These indicators suggest that regulatory clarity may play a crucial role in the pace and scale of crypto adoption.