Traditional financial institutions are accelerating crypto adoption in 2026 at a pace that could make digital assets nearly universal on Wall Street. Kraken co-CEO David Ripley expects virtually all banks, brokerages, and financial services companies to offer Bitcoin and Ethereum to customers this year. The prediction comes as large institutional investors—including sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and pension funds—actively buy the Bitcoin dip, with prices hovering near $60,000, about 50% below the all-time high.
Why institutions are piling in
Coinbase's head of institutional strategy, John D'Agostino, said sovereign wealth funds and family offices are buying the dip. Abu Dhabi's Mubadala increased its exposure to BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF for a fourth straight quarter. Collectively, spot Bitcoin ETFs now hold roughly $100 billion in assets despite the broader market selloff, which has been blamed on macroeconomic uncertainty, elevated interest rates, regulatory delays, geopolitical tensions, and a small sale by Strategy—the firm formerly known as MicroStrategy. Strategy sold 32 BTC but quickly bought back 1,550 BTC for $101 million, underscoring the conviction among major holders.
Tokenized stocks and the SpaceX IPO
Ripley also highlighted tokenized public equities as the next big asset class. Kraken plans to offer tokenized IPO shares to retail investors, targeting ordinary Americans who've historically been locked out of high-growth companies. The timing aligns with SpaceX's anticipated Nasdaq debut this week—a deal aiming to raise about $75 billion at a $1.7 trillion valuation, which would be the largest IPO ever. Nasdaq CFO Sarah Youngwood said the U.S. market has the depth to absorb a pipeline of trillion-dollar offerings, including OpenAI and Anthropic, without structural changes.
Trading that never stops
Nasdaq is pushing into extended-hours trading to mirror crypto markets that operate 24/7. The move reflects a broader convergence of traditional and digital finance, where stablecoins, tokenization, AI, and round-the-clock trading are reshaping how assets move. For now, the Bitcoin dip is drawing patient money from deep-pocketed investors, even as retail sentiment wavers. The next concrete test: whether SpaceX's IPO and Kraken's tokenized shares can pull more ordinary investors into a market that's still finding its footing.
