For years, digital assets were largely viewed as an experimental corner of financial services. Today, that perception is rapidly changing.
In the latest episode of Dorsum Expert Talk, host Botond Bátorfi (Senior Adviser) sat down with Péter Kanti (Head of Blockchain & Digital Assets at Dorsum), to discuss how digital assets, tokenization, and blockchain technologies are moving from the margins to the financial mainstream. The conversation revealed an important reality: the industry is no longer debating whether digital assets matter. Instead, financial institutions are increasingly asking how they can participate in this transformation in a way that creates value for clients while remaining compliant, efficient, and strategically sound.
Regulation Has Shifted the Conversation
One of the biggest obstacles to institutional adoption has always been uncertainty. The introduction of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation has significantly changed that. By creating a clearer framework for crypto-assets and service providers, MiCA has given financial institutions the confidence to move from observation to action. This is reflected in growing market activity and an increasing number of licensed crypto asset service providers across Europe. What was once perceived as a regulatory grey area is gradually becoming a structured financial market. For many banks, the timing is no longer a question of “if” but “when”.
Digital Assets Are Bigger Than Crypto
Digital assets should not be viewed solely through the lens of cryptocurrency. The market is evolving across three interconnected areas:
- Crypto-assets and related services such as trading and custody
- Stablecoins and their growing role in payments and settlement
- Tokenized securities, including bonds, funds, and other traditional financial products
While crypto trading and custody currently represent the most common entry points for banks, tokenization is increasingly attracting attention from institutions that may have been cautious about crypto itself.
Why? Because tokenization is fundamentally about modernising market infrastructure.
Rather than changing the nature of an asset, tokenization changes how that asset is issued, transferred, settled, and managed. The potential benefits include improved efficiency, reduced friction, and access to new forms of liquidity.
The Challenge Is Not Technology
Yet in reality, technology is rarely the primary challenge. Most financial institutions already operate highly sophisticated digital environments. The bigger hurdle is adapting operational models, governance structures, compliance processes, and organisational capabilities to a market that behaves differently from traditional finance. Digital asset markets operate 24/7. New regulatory requirements must be embedded into everyday operations. New partnerships must be established. New expertise must be developed. Success depends less on understanding blockchain technology and more on understanding how to integrate new opportunities into existing business models.
The Institutions That Learn First Will Move First
Perhaps the most valuable insight from Dorsum experts is that digital asset transformation rarely starts with a large-scale programme. Instead, it often begins with a champion inside the organisation. A small team explores opportunities, builds internal knowledge, evaluates use cases, and gradually creates organisational momentum. The institutions making progress today are not necessarily those making the biggest headlines. They are the ones building understanding, developing capabilities, and creating a roadmap before market adoption accelerates further.
Looking Ahead
Over the next three to five years, we can expect continued growth in tokenization, broader institutional participation in digital assets, and increasing experimentation with stablecoin-based financial services. Some trends will inevitably prove overhyped. Others may surprise us. But one thing is becoming increasingly clear: digital assets are no longer a separate conversation from traditional finance. They are becoming part of its future. The institutions that invest time today to understand the opportunities, risks, and strategic implications will be far better positioned to capture value tomorrow.
Want to hear the full discussion?
In the latest Dorsum Expert Talk episode, Botond Bátori and Péter Konti explore digital assets, tokenization, regulation, custody, stablecoins, and what financial institutions should prioritize as adoption accelerates.
🎧 Listen on Spotify
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