16小时前
· CryptoPotato
Crypto.com Exchange’s Managing Director: Institutions Are Moving Beyond Bitcoin to Rewire Finance On-Chain (Interview)
Institutional crypto adoption is entering a new phase – one that is defined a lot less by passive exposure and more by direct participation in on-chain market formation, tokenized assets, and real-time settlement infrastructure.
In the following interview with the new Managing Director of the Crypto.com Exchange, Iskandar Vanblarcum, we discuss the forces that drive that shift, the barriers still holding institutions back, and why <a href="https://cryptopotato.com/best-rwa-cryptos/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">real-world assets (RWAs)</a>, collateral utility, and regulated prediction markets could reshape the global financial landscape as we know it.
<strong><em>You’ve said the next era of finance will be “rebuilt on-chain.” From your conversations with institutional clients, what has changed most in their attitude toward digital assets over the past 12–18 months?</em></strong>
This is a pivotal moment for institutional involvement in the digital assets space. What’s changed in the last 12- 18 months is the steady maturation of our industry, alongside the development of specific and focused regulation governing the sector. Attitudes are also changing as more institutions recognize the value of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, and how their portfolios and businesses can benefit from reduced friction, faster settlement, 24/7 access, deep liquidity, and ultra-low-latency infrastructure, just to name a few.
<strong><em>Institutional adoption of crypto has often been framed around Bitcoin exposure, ETFs, or custody. Are we now entering a phase where institutions are looking more seriously at on-chain market infrastructure itself, rather than just crypto as an asset class?</em></strong>
Yes, this is an interesting shift that we’re seeing. We are witnessing a deep, structural integration where institutions are moving away from simply gaining passive price exposure to actively utilizing decentralized infrastructure. This is evident as institutions integrate tokenized real-world assets, like BlackRock’s BUIDL, directly as active trading collateral. Firms are also adopting real-time blockchain settlement networks, such as Lynq, to optimize capital efficiency through “Yield-in-Transit” technology. Additionally, traditional banks like Nedbank are utilizing blockchain rails to create resilient, low-cost cross-border payment ecosystems. Ultimately, the distinction between traditional assets and digital infrastructure is disappearing as institutions leverage blockchain’s 24/7 programmability to rewire legacy markets.
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<strong><em>What are the main barriers still preventing larger institutions from increasing their allocation or activity in digital assets: regulation, liquidity, counterparty risk, internal mandates, reputational concerns, or something else?</em></strong>
Institutions demand a high regulatory stand