Institutional crypto allocations were already under scrutiny after the market dropped roughly 40% from its October peak. New survey data now shows that large investors are not pulling back — they are actively preparing to add exposure.
A January survey of 351 institutional investors, conducted by Coinbase and EY-Parthenon, found that 73% plan to increase their digital asset holdings this year. 74% expect prices to move higher over the next 12 months. According to the report, Bitcoin and Ether remain the primary entry points, but appetite is broadening into stablecoins and tokenized assets. Two-thirds of respondents said they prefer accessing crypto through regulated vehicles, including exchange-traded products.
Stablecoins, in particular, are pushing into new territory.
SBI VC Trade has launched a retail USDC lending service in Japan, allowing users to lend the dollar-backed stablecoin in exchange for yield. The product follows regulatory changes in Japan that now permit licensed firms to handle foreign stablecoins, including Circle-issued USDC. It is among the first retail-facing stablecoin yield products available in the country, and it signals how stablecoins are migrating from pure trading instruments into structured financial products in markets where legal frameworks have already been settled.
On the equity side, crypto wealth manager Abra is moving toward a public listing through a merger with New Providence Acquisition Corp. The deal values the combined entity at approximately $750 million, with the merged company expected to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker ABRX. Abra has refocused its business around wealth management services — covering trading, custody, and yield products — after facing regulatory challenges connected to its earlier lending operations. The SPAC structure gives the firm a faster route to public capital at a time when traditional IPO pipelines remain constrained.
Tokenization platform Theo has also entered the picture with a $100 million vault tied to a gold-linked, yield-bearing stablecoin. The product uses gold as its underlying collateral while simultaneously offering onchain returns to holders — a structure that differs from conventional fiat-backed stablecoins. It reflects a growing push among developers to build stablecoin products that serve functions beyond simple price stability, incorporating real-world assets as collateral while keeping yield mechanisms active.
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Taken together, the developments described in the report trace a consistent pattern: regulated access points are multiplying, institutional capital is moving through structured channels, and product experimentation is widening even as price volatility and regulatory uncertainty have not disappeared.
The next concrete step for Abra is completion of its SPAC merger and a listing on Nasdaq under the ticker ABRX.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
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