Digital Asset Industry Entered Institutional Era
Luno CEO James Lanigan highlighted a shift toward institutional involvement following key market approvals.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Financial Services
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Digital asset markets have moved into an era of institutionalisation, a transition marked by the January 2024 approval of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds. Luno CEO James Lanigan noted that this phase follows earlier periods of speculation and infrastructure development.
Why it matters
Financial institutions are increasingly entering the digital asset market to improve distribution and access for financial products, provided they have regulatory clarity. Major payment networks are now developing infrastructure or acquiring firms to leverage these new asset classes.
The stablecoin market currently holds a value of US$310 billion, representing 90 per cent of all on-chain tokenised asset value. Of that supply, 98 per cent is pegged to the US dollar.
The players
James Lanigan
He is the CEO of Luno, a digital asset platform that operates internationally to provide cryptocurrency services to retail users.
Luno
This digital asset exchange company facilitates the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies for millions of customers across multiple global markets.
The details
Companies are utilizing tokenisation to streamline the distribution of financial products for users globally. This shift toward institutionalisation is accelerating as major payment networks invest in dedicated infrastructure.
Timeline
The speculation era spanned 2009 to 2017.
The infrastructure development era occurred from 2018 to 2022.
Institutionalisation began in 2023.
Bitcoin ETFs received regulatory approval in January 2024.
Luno CEO James Lanigan spoke at a conference on September 24, 2026.
Market Landscape
The industry's move toward institutionalisation builds upon the precedent established by the January 2024 Bitcoin exchange-traded fund approvals. This development marks a shift from speculative retail-driven trading to a more stable environment supported by major payment networks.
As financial institutions adopt stablecoin and tokenisation infrastructure, users may see improved access to global financial products and services. These shifts could lead to more stable digital asset pricing and the potential integration of local-currency stablecoins into everyday payments.
The takeaway
The digital asset space is maturing as institutional capital seeks to leverage the efficiency of tokenised real-world assets. Investors should monitor how regulatory developments in the United States influence global standards for stablecoin usage and asset tokenisation.
Further reading
Learn more about market trends in Financial Services.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NST Online.
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