PwC Reports Global Disparities in Crypto Adoption

Crypto adoption is evolving at varying speeds worldwide, with certain regions seeing significant advancements while others lag behind, according to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

“While crypto networks are borderless, adoption is not,” PwC stated in its Global Crypto Regulation Report 2026. “Payments, remittances, savings, capital markets, and tokenization use cases are emerging unevenly across regions.”

PwC pointed out that economic conditions, financial inclusion, and the current state of financial infrastructure greatly influence cryptocurrency adoption, resulting in a “fragmented global ecosystem” where technology addresses various market-specific challenges.

The report highlights a surge in blockchain and cryptocurrency adoption in the US, supported by a crypto-friendly administration that encourages institutions to develop products linked to cryptocurrencies and stablecoins.

Institutional Interest in Crypto

Additionally, PwC notes that institutional interest in crypto has surpassed a critical threshold.

“Banks, asset managers, payment providers, and large corporates are embedding digital assets into core infrastructure, balance sheets, and operating models,” the report reveals. “This is no longer optional or peripheral.”

Analysts express concern that changes in administration could impact institutional sentiment towards crypto regulations.

On a related note, CryptoQuant’s Ki Young Ju reported that institutional investors have acquired 577,000 Bitcoin (BTC) over the last year, amounting to nearly $53 billion.

“Institutional demand for Bitcoin remains robust,” he remarked.

PwC elaborates that as institutions adopt crypto, they alter market standards surrounding scale, governance, resilience, and accountability, often replacing native crypto practices with institutional ones.

Price Expectations

Despite rising institutional interest, some experts do not anticipate a corresponding increase in prices as dramatically as the market hopes.

Luke Gromen, founder of FFTT, suggested that institutional investors may not drive Bitcoin prices to new heights without a significant market catalyst.

“If you’re counting on institutional investors to run it from you know 90 to you know 150, if that’s your plan, that’s probably not going to happen without some major catalyst,” Gromen argued.

Source: Ki Young Ju on Twitter

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