Ninety-nine percent of continental European financial institutions and every UK respondent expect regulation to support digital asset adoption. Fireblocks' 2026 Financial Grid survey, based on responses from over 600 senior executives, reveals a region in motion, though not yet marching in step.

The gulf lies in where each market sits today. Europe's Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation, or MiCA, landed three years ago. Firms had time to digest it, plan around it, even profit from it. Fifty-three percent of continental institutions had already committed funding before this year. That's eleven points ahead of the global average. In the UK, where regulatory rules are still crystallizing, only 36% had budgets locked in. But 59% plan to spend money during 2026, which means the big push is coming.

What stops adoption varies dramatically by shore

European banks and asset managers list practical infrastructure as their primary headache. Fifty-five percent say reliable connections between digital assets and fiat currencies remain the bottleneck. Proven production use cases matter to 49%. Institutional-grade infrastructure concerns 40%. The obstacles are mostly operational, too. Nearly half cite operating-model readiness as a major drag. Governance and staff expertise gaps also loom large. Only 29% blame outdated core technology.

Cross the Channel and the picture inverts. Seventy-one percent of UK institutions point to core-system limitations as a barrier. They also stress infrastructure support and fiat connectivity, but with sharper urgency around regulatory clarity. That uncertainty ripples through their strategy. Stablecoins and tokenized securities are the focus in each market, but UK firms lean heavier toward stablecoins as a near-term priority.

Where the money flows next

MiCA accelerated funding decisions in Europe. It gave firms a rulebook to follow. UK institutions operate in murkier water, waiting for final guidance before committing large budgets. The result is a two-speed adoption cycle. Europe is already in execution mode. The UK is poised to sprint once the fog clears.

This article presents survey data and market observations. It is not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any digital assets.