Banks pour into digital asset infrastructure, Sygnum says

Self custody could shift $300b off platforms by end 2026.

More than half of the world's major banks are expected to invest in digital asset infrastructure by the end of the year, according to Sygnum Bank.

This transition appears to be driven by a shift from speculative trading to long-term financial integration.

Analysts predict that at least three G20 economies will publicly add Bitcoin to their sovereign reserves this year. 

This movement follows increasing regulatory clarity across various jurisdictions. 

Furthermore, the report highlights a major shift in the bond market, with one in ten new bonds expected to be tokenised at inception. 

These digital securities are currently trading at a premium due to more efficient settlement processes and improved utility as collateral.

Individual and institutional storage habits are also changing. 
Self-custody is becoming a market standard, with forecasts suggesting up to $300b in assets will be held off-exchange by the end of 2026. 

This figure includes approximately $90b in on-chain collateral, such as tokenised money-market funds. 

In the Asia-Pacific region, family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals are expected to allocate between 15% and 25% of their liquid reserves to stablecoins and yield-bearing digital assets.

Regionally, Dubai is emerging as a central hub for the tokenisation of real-world assets. 

The city's current real estate growth is facilitating the rise of tokenised property, which serves as a foundation for broader asset digitisation in the Middle East. 

This trend is expected to set a template for similar markets globally as digital title deeds and fractional ownership become more widely accepted.