Financial Markets Systematically Transition to Blockchain Infrastructure

In the Digital Finance Outlook 2026 report, Moody’s analysts note a systemic shift of financial markets toward the use of blockchain infrastructure. The development of tokenization, the growing adoption of regulated stablecoins, and the implementation of decentralized settlement networks are forming a new technological layer that is gradually integrating into traditional market mechanisms, increasing transaction speed and reducing costs.

The report emphasizes that blockchain technologies, in the institutional sense, don’t represent a separate segment but rather a set of tools and infrastructural solutions that unify previously fragmented areas of financial markets. These include:

• regulated stablecoins backed by cash and government bonds;
• tokenized bank deposits (deposit tokens) and financial assets — bonds, funds, and credit instruments;
• blockchains for settlements and ownership recordkeeping;
• digital asset custody systems (institutional custody);
• smart contracts used to automate settlement and post-trade operations.

These solutions are already being used for cross-border payments, repo transactions, intraday liquidity redistribution, and collateral management. According to industry estimates, the volume of settlements using stablecoins grew by approximately 87% and reached about $9 trillion in 2025, indicating the rapid scaling of blockchain infrastructure usage within the financial system.

According to analysts, major banks, asset managers, and market infrastructure operators will continue to implement blockchains for settlements, tokenization, and asset custody in 2026. The goal is to simplify the issuance of financial instruments, optimize post-trade processes, and accelerate capital turnover. Total investments by the financial industry in digital infrastructure are projected to exceed $300 billion by 2030. As a result, the gap between traditional and innovative finance will gradually narrow, forming a unified institutional ecosystem.

At the same time, efficiency gains are accompanied by new risks. As value increasingly moves into the digital environment, the importance of cybersecurity, smart contract reliability, and the resilience of custodial systems grows. The report notes that further adoption of blockchain technologies will depend on regulatory alignment, compatibility of new solutions with traditional infrastructure, and the ability of market participants to ensure operational security.

CP Media analyzed three key trends of 2025 highlighted in the Moody’s report — institutionalization, tokenization, and the development of the stablecoin sector.