Corporate Crypto Adoption: How CFOs Are Using Digital Assets Now

The usually conservative corporate treasury landscape seems to be changing with the times, at least in the USA. Until now, digital assets have been viewed as speculative investments by many in traditional finance. Lately, however, that view seems to be shifting. Now, those in traditional finance seem to be moving towards using cryptocurrency as strategic financial instruments.

Is this happening in the UK? Just how many CFOs are now seeing cryptocurrencies as part of a modern treasury?

The Numbers Tell the Story

Recent data from Deloitte's Q2 2025 CFO Signals Survey reveals a shift in corporate sentiment over the pond in America.

According to the above survey, twenty-three percent of CFOs expect their treasury departments to use cryptocurrency for either investments or payments within the next two years.

This figure rises dramatically among larger enterprises. For companies with revenues exceeding $10 billion, nearly 40% of CFOs anticipate crypto adoption within 24 months.

Treasury Management Revolution

CFOs may have noticed blockchain technology's potential to fundamentally restructure how corporations manage liquidity, execute cross-border transactions, and optimise working capital.

The regulatory environment has also evolved to support this transition. Recent crypto regulation in the USA has created unique opportunities for corporate finance. It provides the legal framework that risk-averse CFOs require before committing shareholder capital to digital asset strategies.

What is happening in the UK

UK financial firms are carefully exploring digital assets. The UK's digital asset regulation landscape is very different to the USA, however.

Stablecoins in the UK may gain traction for remittances and cross-border payments due to their efficiency and lower costs compared to traditional systems. However it seems to be a wait-and-see situation now for CFOs in the UK.

While CFOs in the UK may be interested in buying certain cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin for their treasuries, the possibility of a cryptocurrency’s value going to zero is a very real risk, so there are added pressures for a CFO buying on behalf of their treasuries.

Strategic Use Cases Emerging

Three primary use cases could be driving CFO interest in regions outside of the UK.

Cross-Border Payment Efficiency

Traditional international wire transfers can take days and involve multiple intermediaries, each clipping the ticket on the way through. Stablecoins and other crypto payment rails enable same-day settlement with significantly reduced costs, and few, if any, intermediaries. This could appeal to UK CFOs. However, even stablecoins, with all of their promises to have a stable price, can fail.

Supplier Payment Innovation

Some companies are offering crypto payment options to vendors. This is more likely in technology and services sectors where digital asset acceptance is higher. This approach can reduce transaction costs while positioning the company as innovative to its customers. However this still carries risks and not everyone is au fait with the technology to negotiate this.

Risk Management Considerations

Despite growing acceptance, let’s not start the tipping point party just yet. CFO adoption remains measured and strategic. Price volatility remains the top concern for CFOs in the USA. This is a sound response given cryptocurrencies' historical price swings.

However a good experiment is stablecoin adoption. Thanks to their design of having a stable price, stablecoins have become the entry point for some corporations. (Keeping in mind that some stablecoins have utterly failed).

For companies pursuing non-stablecoin digital assets, 15% of CFOs indicated their companies could purchase these assets over the next two years.

The Mainstream Adoption Perspective

So is crypto going mainstream? Is this the tipping point? It could be. When Fortune 500 CFOs allocate shareholder capital to crypto strategies, it might signal fundamental acceptance within traditional finance.

As more companies accept digital payments and integrate blockchain systems, the value of digital assets increases beyond pure speculation. Crypto has a use case. It is useful.

And institutional demand can change government policy. Officials receive pressure to establish comprehensive digital asset frameworks, creating more stable operating environments.

Whether the UK changes its regulatory landscape to match the USA remains to be seen.

Looking Forward

The trajectory of corporate crypto adoption appears increasingly clear. CFOs in Deloitte's US survey expect to be using digital currency within two years. This could mean that 2025 may represent the inflection point where corporate crypto goes from experimental to operational.

The UK CFO culture is expected to lag behind this. However many regulatory bodies overseeing this change may feel pressure to catch up. Digital assets might no longer be a peripheral concern, but a component of modern corporate finance. For CFOs, the question is not whether to engage with crypto, but how quickly to develop the expertise necessary to compete in a world where everyone else is adopting crypto before you do.