DLT in the real world in 2026: key findings
How are firms using DLT and digital assets in practice in 2026?
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Developed in partnership with Accenture, Broadridge, ISSA and Taurus, these key findings examine how firms are approaching DLT and digital assets as live activity grows, budgets rise and institutional use cases become more defined. They show where momentum is building across turnover, collateral tokenisation and digital money.
DLT budgets
Investment
Firms are committing more budget as DLT moves further into live activity and clearer use cases.
The market is entering a more active phase, with stronger strategic focus across digital assets and DLT.
Expectations rising
Turnover
A growing part of the market now expects DLT activity to move into more meaningful operating scale.
Transaction volume expectations are becoming a clearer indicator of where live adoption is building.
Digital money standard
Stablecoins
Stablecoins are emerging as the most immediate digital money tool across institutional DLT activity.
47% are also ready for a digital euro, showing that digital money readiness is broadening.
DLT and digital assets are moving further into live activity in 2026. Firms are increasing budgets, focusing more clearly on institutional use cases and placing greater emphasis on where DLT can support liquidity, collateral and digital money workflows.
How are firms using DLT and digital assets in practice? Where is activity building fastest, and which use cases are shaping the next phase of scale?
The research highlights:
The average firm is spending 20% more on DLT and digital assets than last year: budget growth continues as the market moves further into live activity
12% expect over USD 1 billion in monthly DLT transaction volumes in 2027: firms expect a more meaningful build in turnover over the next phase
27% expect collateral tokenisation to become their largest institutional activity in 2027: institutional use cases are becoming more clearly defined
71% plan to use stablecoins (mainly USD): digital money is becoming a more central part of market activity
47% are ready for a digital Euro: readiness for digital currency use is advancing across parts of the market
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