US Banks Shift Digital Asset Focus to Infrastructure Over ROI
The conversation around digital assets in U.S. banking has fundamentally shifted. According to Fireblocks 2026 Financial Grid USA report, banks are no longer debating the business case for digital assets. Instead, the focus has turned to infrastructure: how to build it, in what order, and whether legacy systems can support the transition. Nearly 68% of surveyed U.S. banks plan to issue their own stablecoins by the end of 2026, far outpacing Europe‘s 36% and APAC’s 11%. Another 79% intend to deploy stablecoins issued by other regulated entities. The market has decided its direction—deposits, payments, and 24/7 settlement are at the core of this push. Notably, 99% of U.S. institutions now prioritize real-time settlement and tokenized deposits as strategic imperatives. From ROI to Technology Sequencing Just a few years ago, the key question was whether digital assets could deliver a return on investment. Today, banks are asking how to integrate blockchain into existing systems without multi-year rebuilds. The shift is driven by competitive pressure from fintechs and neobanks, as well as regulatory clarity. The GENIUS framework has introduced a national regulatory floor for stablecoin issuers, and the CLARITY framework, expected later this year, will finalize federal market structure rules. Institutions that once considered compliance and