CNBC says digital assets are becoming institutionalized as banks, asset managers, and payments companies adopt blockchain infrastructure, with Ripple recognized among firms developing technology for payments, custody, tokenization, and other financial services.
Key Takeaways
CNBC and Statista included Ripple among the world’s top fintech companies for 2026.Digital asset businesses accounted for 40 of the 500 companies selected.XRP is gaining additional institutional channels through regulated payments, European market access, and investment products.Forty companies were recognized in the digital assets category, which highlights businesses developing blockchain infrastructure and related financial services. The category represented 8% of the companies included in this year’s list.
CNBC said blockchain is being used in real-world business cases as the sector becomes more institutionalized, with financial firms increasingly adopting the technology for payments, custody, tokenization, compliance and liquidity management.
Ripple Expands Its Institutional FootprintCNBC and Statista assessed about 3,500 companies using more than 25,000 data points before selecting this year’s honorees. The list is presented alphabetically within each category rather than as a numerical ranking.
Fintech generated $650 billion in revenue during 2025, up 21% from the previous year, according to McKinsey data cited by CNBC. Publicly listed fintech companies also reached a record combined market capitalization of $850 billion.
