Advisors Flock to Stablecoins, Tokenization Over Bitcoin in 2026

Financial advisors are showing a deepening interest in stablecoins and tokenized assets, according to Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan. His take is based on a single day of sales calls where he met with more than 40 advisors – one of his busiest schedules in eight years at the firm.

Bitcoin remains a fixture of the digital-asset conversation, Hougan said. The advisors themselves were consistently asking about stablecoins, tokenized assets, digital payments, and the structure of capital markets.

The numbers back the anecdote. Artemis, a blockchain analytics firm, reported that mentions of stablecoins in SEC filings and investor presentations hit roughly 1,000 in the first quarter of 2026 – a record high.

Hougan attributed the shift to several factors. The fiat-debasement narrative has faded, he said. Meanwhile, public talk of stablecoins by SEC Chair Paul Atkins and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has pushed the topic into the mainstream. Advisors now appear more drawn to blockchain infrastructure plays than to direct Bitcoin exposure.

Hougan expects future capital inflows to favor networks that support tokenization and stablecoin activity, including Ethereum (ETH) and Solana. He also named Circle (CRCL) and Coinbase (COIN) as companies tied to the expanding ecosystem.

Regulatory movement has reinforced confidence. In February, SEC staff said broker-dealers could apply a 2% capital haircut to payment stablecoins, treating them as near-cash. The guidance follows the GENIUS Act of 2025, which set a federal framework for payment stablecoins.

Institutional adoption is rising too. A Fireblocks survey of 295 finance executives found nearly half of institutions already use stablecoins for payments. Tokenized real-world assets – stocks, Treasuries, gold – are also moving onto blockchains.

Financial advisors globally oversee more than $175 trillion in assets. Whether the surge in stablecoin mentions signals saturation or the start of a broad implementation phase will become clearer as more corporate filings land through the rest of 2026.