Survey: 80% of Japanese Institutional Investors Eye Up to 5% Crypto Allocation by 2029

Nearly 80% of surveyed institutional investors in Japan plan to allocate resources to crypto within three years, according to a survey by Nomura and its digital asset arm, Laser Digital. The survey, conducted in December and January, gathered responses from 518 investment professionals, including institutional investors, family offices, and public-interest organizations.

Roughly 80% of these professionals plan to allocate up to 5% of their portfolios to digital assets by 2029.

More than half of respondents target between 2% and 5% of their portfolios for crypto allocations. CoinDesk reported that 31% of respondents described their outlook on crypto as positive, up from 25% in 2024, while negative sentiment declined to 18%. Many respondents cited low correlation with traditional asset classes as a key reason for adding crypto exposure.

More than 60% expressed interest in income-generating strategies such as staking, lending, derivatives, and tokenized assets. Sixty-three percent of respondents identified potential use cases for stablecoins, including treasury management, cross-border payments, and foreign exchange transactions.

CoinDesk reported that the shift reflects a growing view of crypto as a diversification tool rather than purely speculative bets.

Japan regulated crypto exchanges following the Mt. Gox collapse in 2014. The country has updated financial laws, including the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, to integrate digital assets. SBI Holdings operates one of Japan’s largest crypto businesses.

BitFlyer is a long-standing crypto exchange in Japan. Nomura founded Laser Digital in 2022 to expand into trading, asset management, and venture investing. Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group has explored tokenized deposits and stablecoins.

CoinDesk reported that improving sentiment and Japan’s relatively clear regulatory framework are encouraging institutions to treat digital assets as diversification tools. Interest is broadening beyond price exposure to include staking, lending, derivatives, tokenized assets, and stablecoin use cases.

Even as concerns about valuation, counterparty risk, regulation, and volatility persist, attitudes are shifting from cautious interest to active portfolio planning.

M.