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- Fintech firms like Robinhood and Stripe are launching their own blockchains.
- Altius Labs is tackling blockchain’s speed bottleneck to enable institutional use.
- Institutional crypto exposure is shifting from ETFs to infrastructure building.
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The next phase of crypto’s institutional adoption is unfolding as major fintech firms move from offering crypto services to building their own blockchains. Robinhood is developing a layer-2 network for tokenized stocks and real-world assets, while Stripe is launching Tempo, a payments-focused blockchain built with Paradigm. This marks a shift from passive participation to embedding blockchain into the core of financial infrastructure.
Breaking Through Crypto’s Execution Bottleneck
Annabelle Huang, co-founder of Altius Labs and former Amber Group executive, believes performance remains the biggest barrier to institutional-scale adoption. Traditional finance systems operate in microseconds, while even the fastest blockchains work in milliseconds or seconds. Nasdaq’s INET platform handles over a million messages per second with sub-40-microsecond latency — far beyond current blockchain capabilities.
The Web3 landscape has shifted beyond retail hype cycles.
— Annabelle Huang (@_annabellehuang) August 22, 2025
We're witnessing a maturing industry that's capturing institutional attention like never before.
Institutions like @Stripe and @RobinhoodApp are now building their own chains, demanding enterprise-grade infrastructure…
Huang’s team is tackling this “execution bottleneck” by building a modular execution layer that can plug into existing blockchains to dramatically improve speed and throughput. This approach bypasses the need to create new sidechains or layer-2 networks, offering performance upgrades without fragmenting the ecosystem.
ETFs Paved the Way, But Fintechs Are Building the Rails
While Wall Street has already entered crypto indirectly through Bitcoin ETFs and corporate treasury strategies, the shift toward fintech-built chains signals a deeper level of commitment. Huang noted that ETFs and leveraged Bitcoin plays like MicroStrategy have provided exposure without technical risk, but they don’t solve infrastructure challenges.
Also Read: House of Doge and Bitstamp by Robinhood Announce Strategic Partnership For NYSE:ZONE Treasury
By building their own blockchains, fintech firms are setting the stage for direct institutional participation. OTC desks are evolving into regulated liquidity providers, aligning settlement and reporting standards with traditional finance.
A Turning Point for Institutional Crypto Adoption
Huang believes this new wave marks a decisive moment: “What we’re seeing now — and I expect even more going forward — is a trend of institutions adopting stablecoins or even building their own blockchains for specific use cases.” After years of exploration, major fintechs are finally ready to act — and their success could accelerate crypto’s long-sought integration with global finance.
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Disclaimer: The information in this article is for general purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. The author’s views are personal and may not reflect the views of Chain Affairs. Before making any investment decisions, you should always conduct your own research. Chain Affairs is not responsible for any financial losses.
I’m your translator between the financial Old World and the new frontier of crypto. After a career demystifying economics and markets, I enjoy elucidating crypto – from investment risks to earth-shaking potential. Let’s explore!
