Data Brief: More than Half Multinational Firms Use at Least One Type of Crypto

cryptocurrency

Blockchain and Global Business: Assessing the Potential for Multinational Companies and Financial Institutions, a PYMNTS and Circle collaboration, surveyed executives at 250 multinational businesses and 250 financial institutions (FIs).

At a high level we found that companies operating across the globe are six times more likely to use cryptos to conduct transactions than they are to hold onto the digital offerings, on their respective balance sheets, as investments.

About 58 percent of multinational firms use at least one crypto. Roughly 10 percent of financial institutions provide those firms access to at least one of those cryptos. That provider side of the equation is due to expand, as 73 percent of FIs plan to expand that same access to cryptocurrencies through the next year.

Another finding is that 28 percent of global businesses use stablecoins, digital currencies like USD coin (USDC). Those digital offerings, of course, are tied to the values of fiat currencies or commodities.

The use of bitcoin is highest among those firms that operate in at least 10 countries. And as many as 84 percent of those firms use at least one cryptocurrency.

But of those firms that have some hesitation of concerns about embracing cryptocurrencies and blockchain, among the biggest concerns are that they are unsure of profitability, at about 31 percent of FIs and nearly 35 percent of businesses.