Crypto is steadily transitioning from speculation to everyday financial use. According to Ripple’s chief legal officer Stuart Alderoty, the shift is being driven by three key forces: quiet adoption in daily payments and payroll, tokenization of real-world assets, and deeper integration with traditional financial institutions.

Rather than dramatic headlines, crypto’s growth is happening through practical use. People are increasingly using digital assets for payments, retail transactions, and creative platforms. This gradual normalization could make crypto feel like a routine part of finance by 2026.
Tokenization is also expanding access to investments. By enabling fractional ownership, it allows more people to invest in assets like real estate, art, and commodities that were previously out of reach.
At the same time, banks and legacy financial firms are integrating crypto services into their systems, making digital assets easier to access and use. Together, these trends suggest crypto’s future will be shaped more by real-world utility than hype.