Coinbase/ EY Survey: 25% of Institutions Plan to Add XRP in 2026

A Coinbase-backed EY-Parthenon survey of 351 global institutional decision-makers found that institutional portfolios are diversifying beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. In 2026 plans, 25% of respondents say they plan to add XRP to their digital-asset allocations. The survey also shows broader altcoin adoption: firms holding any non-BTC, non-ETH crypto are expected to rise from 51% to 56%. Bitcoin remains dominant (appearing in 94% of current allocations and 91% of 2026 plans), while Ethereum also increases (86% to 90%). Outside the top two, the survey highlights planned allocation growth for several assets, including XRP (18% currently to 25% planned), Solana (36% to 38%), and Chainlink (20% to 26%). Portfolio construction is also changing. Among current investors, the share allocating more than 5% of AUM to digital assets is expected to increase from 18% to 29% by end-2026. Most exposure is routed through regulated vehicles: 66% via spot ETFs/ETPs, with net spot crypto ownership through ETF/ETP/direct holdings rising from 76% (Jan 2025) to 79% (Jan 2026). Key drivers for increasing digital asset exposure include regulatory clarity (65%), wider availability in regulated vehicles (51%), and improved institutional-grade infrastructure (46%). However, regulation remains the main constraint: 78% say market structure needs more clarity, and 66% cite regulatory uncertainty as a primary concern. At press time, XRP is trading around $1.37. For traders, the headline is clear: XRP is gaining incremental institutional allocation intent for 2026, alongside a wider shift toward select altcoins.