Citigroup, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs lead TradFi's blockchain charge: Ripple

2 weeks ago

Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Japan’s SBI Group person emerged arsenic the astir progressive players successful accepted concern backing blockchain startups, according to a caller study by Ripple successful concern with CB Insights and the UK Centre for Blockchain Technologies.

Between 2020 and 2024, planetary banks participated successful 345 investments successful blockchain companies, astir of them successful early-stage backing rounds, per the report. Citigroup and Goldman Sachs led the battalion with 18 deals each, portion JP Morgan and Mitsubishi UFJ followed intimately with 15 investments.

Mega-rounds, deals worthy $100 cardinal oregon more, were a cardinal focus. Banks contributed to 33 specified rounds during the four-year window, pouring superior into firms focused connected trading infrastructure, tokenization, custody, and outgo solutions.

Notable examples see CloudWalk successful Brazil, which raised implicit $750 cardinal crossed 2 rounds backed by Banco Itaú and others. Likewise, Solaris successful Germany secured implicit $100 cardinal from SBI Group and aboriginal became a bulk acquisition target.

Related: JPMorgan to let crypto purchases with Coinbase

G-SIBs backmost blockchain with 100+ deals

Global Systemically Important Banks (G-SIBs), a radical of fiscal institutions with specified important economical value that their nonaccomplishment could trigger planetary fiscal instability, accounted for 106 deals, including 14 mega-rounds valued astatine implicit $100 cardinal each.

G-SIBs investments successful blockchain companies. Source: Ripple

US and Japanese institutions led successful woody volume, but Singapore, France, and the UK were besides active. In total, implicit $100 cardinal was poured into blockchain startups betwixt 2020 and 2024 crossed much than 10,000 deals globally.

Ripple’s survey of implicit 1,800 planetary concern leaders besides recovered that 90% judge blockchain and integer assets volition person a “significant oregon massive” interaction connected the manufacture wrong 3 years.

The momentum is besides supported by regulatory developments, including the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins, oregon GENIUS Act, successful the US and Markets successful Crypto-Assets (MiCA) successful the EU, some of which supply a clearer model for integer plus operations.

Related: Crypto adoption volition beryllium driven by high-growth markets, with oregon without the US

Banks backmost stablecoins, tokenization next

Backing the concern inclination is soaring request for real-world blockchain applications. According to a Citi report, stablecoin volumes hit $650–$700 cardinal per period successful Q1 2025, and much banks are launching their ain stablecoins to connection programmable wealth without vulnerability to volatility.

Looking ahead, tokenization is expected to beryllium a defining trend. Boston Consulting Group and Ripple estimation that tokenized real-world assets could transcend $18 trillion by 2033, with a compound yearly maturation complaint of 53%.

Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, present it’s becoming them successful stablecoin fight

View source