BNY CEO: Big Banks Are the Bridge to Crypto Adoption

Decentralized finance was once seen as a potential way to bypass banks, but BNY argues that large banks can use their regulatory credibility, client relationships and infrastructure to connect traditional finance with digital assets. As of December 31, 2025, BNY had $59.3 trillion in assets under custody or administration and $2.2 trillion in assets under management, giving its tokenization strategy particular significance.

Speaking at the Digital Asset Summit in New York on March 24, 2026, BNY CEO Robin Vince said inefficient lending and real estate processes could be among the first areas to adopt tokenization. BNY has also created digital tokens and new classes for money market funds. Vince warned that without clear regulation, about 90% of financial services firms would not participate, and estimated that the broader transition would take five to 15 years.