Institutional crypto portfolios are broadening beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum, with Coinbase and EY-Parthenon survey data showing that 25% of respondents plan to add XRP to their allocations in 2026. The same report shows the share of firms holding any non-BTC, non-ETH crypto rising from 51% to 56%, pointing to a wider institutional shift into selected altcoins rather than a simple two-asset market.
The findings come from a January 2026 survey of 351 global institutional decision-makers, 96% of whom represent firms with more than $1 billion in AUM. The respondent base was 60% US, 20% Europe including the UK, and 20% rest of world, spanning asset managers, hedge funds, private banks, venture funds, asset owners, and family offices. Across that group, 73% said they plan to increase digital asset allocations in 2026, while 74% expect crypto prices to rise over the next 12 months.
XRP Among Top 2026 Picks
Bitcoin and Ethereum still dominate institutional positioning, but the diversification trend is clear in the report’s breakdown of current and planned allocations. Bitcoin appears in 94% of current institutional crypto allocations and 91% of 2026 plans, while Ethereum rises from 86% to 90%. Outside the two largest assets, Solana moves from 36% to 38%, Chainlink from 20% to 26%, XRP from 18% to 25%, Binance Coin from 12% to 15%, Cardano from 4% to 5%, Tron from 3% to 4%, and Bitcoin Cash from 3% to 6%. Dogecoin remains marginal at 2% both currently and in 2026 plans.
The XRP figure matters in part because it sits inside a broader expansion in institutional sizing. Among firms already invested in digital assets, the share allocating more than 5% of AUM to the category is expected to rise from 18% to 29% by the end of 2026. The 6% to 10% allocation bucket climbs from 11% to 19%, and the 11% to 20% bucket from 3% to 7%. At the same time, access remains heavily tilted toward regulated wrappers: 66% of digital asset investors now get exposure through spot ETFs or ETPs, 81% prefer spot exposure via a registered vehicle, and net spot crypto ownership via ETF, ETP or direct holdings rose from 76% in January 2025 to 79% in January 2026.
That combination of broader asset selection and tighter portfolio construction runs throughout the report. Among those planning to increase holdings, 65% cited greater regulatory clarity and confidence in compliance frameworks as a key driver, 51% pointed to wider availability of digital assets in regulated vehicles, and 46% to better institutional-grade infrastructure across custody, settlement, and risk.
Smaller firms were the most aggressive, with 77% of the $1 billion to $50 billion AUM group planning to significantly increase or increase holdings, versus 69% for firms in the $51 billion to $500 billion range and 64% for the $501 billion to $1 trillion cohort.
Even so, institutions are not approaching the market with looser standards. The survey found that 49% said recent volatility had strengthened their emphasis on risk management, liquidity, and position sizing, while 22% said volatility caused them to slow down, delay, or keep allocations conservative. Regulation remains both catalyst and constraint: 78% said market structure is the area most in need of clarity, and 66% still cited regulatory uncertainty as a primary concern when investing in digital assets.
At press time, XRP traded at $1.37.
Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
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