Institutional Adoption Gains Momentum at Paris Blockchain Week 2026

The Paris Blockchain Week 2026 event marked a significant turning point in the discussion around digital assets, with a notable shift away from the traditional divide between traditional finance and crypto-native firms.

Experts from Arcanum and Mercuryo participated in an exclusive conversation to provide insights into what institutional players are seeking, the impact of MiCA regulation, and the evolution of the market over the next two years.

Arcanum's Chief Executive Director, Michael Ivanov, highlighted the dissolution of the 'us versus them' dynamic between traditional finance and crypto-native firms. He emphasized that the buy-side interest at PBW was focused on privacy, composability, and accountability, indicating a fundamentally different conversation than in the past.

MiCA regulation has removed ambiguity, providing much-needed legal grounding for institutions to adopt digital token services. However, bottlenecks remain, particularly in fully compliant connectivity services, where Mercuryo is playing a critical role.

The conversation also touched on algorithmic trading becoming standard in crypto, but with the condition that liquidity depth and custody arrangements are still maturing. Regulatory fragmentation across Europe, the U.S., and Asia was discussed as a product design problem rather than just a compliance issue.