European and U.K. financial institutions are investing heavily in digital asset infrastructure, but regulation is shaping their priorities in different ways. Continental firms are building within an established framework, while U.K. companies are preparing for rules still taking shape.
Key Takeaways
Fireblocks found 99% of Europe and 100% of UK firms expect rules to support digital assets.Fireblocks says MiCA helped 53% of European firms fund projects early, versus 36% in the UK.Fireblocks sees 2026 spending rise as 50% of UK firms target stablecoins and Europe backs tokenized funds.European and United Kingdom financial institutions are moving toward the same digital asset economy, but they are not starting from the same place.
The difference lies in execution.
In the U.K., where the regulatory structure remains under development, 36% had already set budgets. Another 59% plan to commit money during 2026.
Regulation Shapes Each Market’s PrioritiesEuropean institutions now see practical infrastructure as the main barrier to faster adoption. Reliable connections between digital assets and fiat currencies were cited by 55% of respondents. Proven production use cases followed at 49%, while 40% selected institutional-grade infrastructure.
Their internal challenges are largely operational. Almost half identified operating-model readiness as a major obstacle. Governance and limited expertise also ranked highly, while only 29% blamed outdated core technology.
That uncertainty affects how U.K. firms choose providers. Some 60% cited reputation and long-term financial stability as critical, compared with 33% in continental Europe.
Settlement Leads the Institutional BuildBoth markets are concentrating first on the financial system’s plumbing.
Europe, however, is moving faster into tokenized investment products. Some 62% plan to use tokenized money-market funds, compared with 45% in the U.K. European institutions also lead in tokenized securities and deposits.
The U.K. stands out in one area: 50% of institutions plan to issue their own stablecoins, ahead of continental Europe’s 40%.
Despite those differences, both regions want the same thing from technology partners. Security, custody, integration and resilience must come as one package.
The survey suggests Europe is building within rules already written. The U.K. is building while waiting for the final version. Both expect digital assets to become part of core financial infrastructure, but Europe currently has the shorter path to deployment.
