How institutions are quietly embracing crypto

Major U.S. banks, asset managers and payment firms have moved from observing crypto to investing in, partnering on and launching products in the space since 2020, according to the article. By early 2025, institutions reportedly held roughly 15% of Bitcoin's supply, and nearly half of hedge funds allocated to digital assets. Key drivers cited include the first U.S. spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs approved in January 2024, tokenization of real-world assets, and institutional use of stablecoins for settlement.