Monica Long, president of Ripple, has made a compelling forecast regarding the future of cryptocurrency adoption among major corporations. She predicts that by the end of 2026, approximately 250 of the largest firms in the Fortune 500 will either hold cryptocurrencies or engage with blockchain-based financial tools.
This projection signifies a substantial shift towards institutional involvement in the digital asset landscape, with Long estimating that corporate balance sheets could cumulatively house more than $1 trillion in digital assets. This includes not only cryptocurrencies but also tokenized assets, stablecoins, digital asset treasuries, and programmable financial instruments.
The growing interest in blockchain technology is supported by a recent survey conducted by Coinbase, revealing that six out of ten Fortune 500 executives are already working on blockchain initiatives within their organizations. This statistic reinforces Long”s timeline for a broader acceptance of digital assets in corporate finance.
Currently, only a select few companies within the Fortune 500 have integrated Bitcoin into their balance sheets. Notable examples include GameStop, which purchased 4,710 BTC in May 2025, alongside Block Inc and Tesla, both of which have also incorporated Bitcoin into their treasury strategies.
Long also highlighted the rapid expansion of digital asset treasury firms, which have multiplied from just four in 2020 to over 200 today. This includes nearly 100 firms that emerged in 2025 alone, illustrating the rising demand for corporate treasury solutions in the cryptocurrency realm.
Moreover, Long anticipates that stablecoins will play a crucial role in the future of global payment systems. She asserts that within five years, stablecoins are expected to become the foundational component of these systems, rather than functioning as an alternative.
In her analysis, Long expressed confidence that a wave of financial institutions will begin to offer direct custody services for cryptocurrencies, further solidifying the connection between traditional finance and the blockchain. This expansion is likely to include banks and crypto service providers enhancing their blockchain strategies.
Furthermore, Long discussed the potential for merging artificial intelligence with blockchain technology. She envisions a future where stablecoins and smart contracts will enable treasuries to manage liquidity and execute financial operations in real-time, thereby reducing the need for manual interventions.
Long emphasized the importance of privacy features, such as zero-knowledge proofs, which could help assess creditworthiness without compromising sensitive data. This advancement could facilitate broader acceptance of digital assets in regulated markets.
Ultimately, Long”s predictions reflect her belief that the groundwork laid over recent years has positioned the cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors for mass adoption and mainstream integration in the coming years.
