Institutional investors are paying more attention to cryptocurrencies and digital assets. According to a recent survey report by Binance Research and Binance VIP & Institutional, 88% of institutional users have a long-term, optimistic outlook on crypto for the next decade.
The crypto market is known for its high volatility, but the majority of big-money players see crypto as an important part of their portfolio for years to come.
Institutional Interest In Crypto Assets Is Growing
The Institutional Crypto Outlook Survey, which surveyed 208 Binance VIP and Institutional users from 31st March to 15th May 2023, found out that a growing number of institutional crypto investors are in it for the long haul. According to the survey, 63.5% of these users had a positive outlook on digital assets over the next 12 months, while 88% are more positive over the next decade.
Of the respondents, 50% expect to increase their crypto asset exposure over the next five years. Only 4.3% said they plan to decrease exposure. That signals a lot of confidence and optimism about the future growth and mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin remains Most Popular Crypto Asset Among Institutions
Bitcoin remains the most popular choice among institutional investors, with a larger proportion of respondents more positive about Bitcoin as compared to the broader crypto sector. This is not surprising given that Bitcoin is the largest crypto by market cap and the most established. Bitcoin is seen as the “digital gold” of the crypto world and a store of value and hedge against inflation.
42.8% of investors are more interested in the potential for large investment returns. However, 37.5% are more motivated by the long-term exposure to the technology behind digital assets, with 48.1% and 43.8% of respondents investing in Layer 1 and Layer 2 technologies respectively.
Institutional Trade Still Mostly Done On Centralized Exchanges
Centralized exchanges remain the most popular platform for institutional trading. While many crypto investors advocate for decentralized exchanges on the rise, centralized exchanges like Binance offer a one-stop shop for institutional traders to easily buy, sell and convert a wide range of cryptocurrencies. The survey found that 90.5% of institutional investors would rather trade on centralized exchanges.
While some institutional investors remain skeptical about cryptocurrency, it’s clear that mainstream interest in this asset class is building steadily. If institutional adoption continues to rise, it’s likely to drive broader mainstream acceptance of cryptocurrencies in financial institutions like banks.