European Firms Expect Crypto Rules to Support Digital Asset Adoption

European and UK financial institutions are increasingly investing in digital asset infrastructure, but regulation is shaping their priorities differently. Fireblocks' 2026 Financial Grid survey found near-unanimity among senior executives in the regulatory outlook, with 99% of continental European institutions and every U.K. respondent expecting policy to support digital asset adoption.

The difference lies in execution, as Europe's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA) has given firms a defined framework. This has led to 53% of continental institutions committing funding before 2026, compared with a global average of 42%. In contrast, 36% of U.K. institutions had already set budgets, while another 59% plan to commit money during 2026.

Regulation also affects the priorities of each market's financial institutions. European institutions now see practical infrastructure as the main barrier to faster adoption, citing reliable connections between digital assets and fiat currencies as their top concern. In contrast, U.K. firms place greater emphasis on core-system limitations, infrastructure support, and regulatory clarity.

Both markets are concentrating first on the financial system's plumbing, with round-the-clock settlement and real-time payments being the top use case for 86% of European respondents and 82% in the U.K. However, Europe is moving faster into tokenized investment products, with 62% planning to use tokenized money-market funds, compared with 45% in the U.K.

The survey suggests that Europe is building within rules already written, while the U.K. is building while waiting for the final version of its regulatory framework. Despite these differences, both regions want the same thing from technology partners: security, custody, integration, and resilience as one package.