Digital Finance Will Evolve Into ‘Foundational Infrastructure Layer’ in 2026: Moody’s
Moody’s forecasts that blockchain technology will become a foundational infrastructure for financial services by 2026, significantly impacting capital allocation and market operations. Adoption of stablecoins and tokenized assets has already increased, particularly in payments and liquidity management. The sector is moving toward a unified digital ecosystem, integrating areas like transition finance, private credit, and emerging markets. Financial institutions are increasingly using tokenized U.S. Treasurys and structured products, with blockchain adoption expected to accelerate due to efficiency gains in settlement, liquidity turnover, and cost reduction. However, operational, regulatory, and cyber risks persist. The lack of harmonized regulation, especially outside the EU, leads to fragmented infrastructure and increased risk, affecting liquidity and adoption. Although investment in digital assets is growing, Moody’s stresses the need for robust, interoperable infrastructure and cross-border regulatory clarity for broader growth and integration of digital finance.
