Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Japan’s SBI Group have emerged as the most active players in traditional finance backing blockchain startups, according to a new report by Ripple in partnership with CB Insights and the UK Centre for Blockchain Technologies.

Between 2020 and 2024, global banks participated in 345 investments in blockchain companies, most of them in early-stage funding rounds, per the report. Citigroup and Goldman Sachs led the pack with 18 deals each, while JP Morgan and Mitsubishi UFJ followed closely with 15 investments.

Mega-rounds, deals worth $100 million or more, were a key focus. Banks contributed to 33 such rounds during the four-year window, pouring capital into firms focused on trading infrastructure, tokenization, custody, and payment solutions.

Notable examples include CloudWalk in Brazil, which raised over $750 million across two rounds backed by Banco Itaú and others. Likewise, Solaris in Germany secured over $100 million from SBI Group and later became a majority acquisition target.

Related: JPMorgan to allow crypto purchases with Coinbase

G-SIBs back blockchain with 100+ deals

Global Systemically Important Banks (G-SIBs), a group of financial institutions with such significant economic weight that their failure could trigger global financial instability, accounted for 106 deals, including 14 mega-rounds valued at over $100 million each.

US and Japanese institutions led in deal volume, but Singapore, France, and the UK were also active. In total, over $100 billion was poured into blockchain startups between 2020 and 2024 across more than 10,000 deals globally.

Ripple’s survey of over 1,800 global finance leaders also found that 90% believe blockchain and digital assets will have a “significant or massive” impact on the industry within three years.

The momentum is also supported by regulatory developments, including the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins, or GENIUS Act, in the US and Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) in the EU, both of which provide a clearer framework for digital asset operations.

Related: Crypto adoption will be driven by high-growth markets, with or without the US

Banks back stablecoins, tokenization next

Backing the investment trend is soaring demand for real-world blockchain applications. According to a Citi report, stablecoin volumes hit $650–$700 billion per month in Q1 2025, and more banks are launching their own stablecoins to offer programmable money without exposure to volatility.

Looking ahead, tokenization is expected to be a defining trend. Boston Consulting Group and Ripple estimate that tokenized real-world assets could exceed $18 trillion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate of 53%.

Magazine: Crypto wanted to overthrow banks, now it’s becoming them in stablecoin fight