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Crypto gains mainstream ground as institutional interest surges, says Polygon’s Sandeep NailwalPolygon Co-founder Sandeep Nailwal says India’s institutional crypto adoption remains slow due to regulatory hesitation, even as retail participation grows through exchanges and technology access remains strong.By Manisha Gupta   October 16, 2025, 2:36:19 PM IST (Published)2 Min Read(Photo Credit : CNBC-TV18 Library )The global cryptocurrency market has entered a new phase of maturity, with institutional investors increasingly treating digital assets as a legitimate asset class, according to Sandeep Nailwal, Co-founder of Polygon.

Speaking on CNBC-TV18’s Crypto Corner, he noted that recent regulatory clarity in the United States has played a major role in fuelling the latest rally in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins.

Nailwal explained that the entry of listed companies into digital asset treasuries has opened the doors for wider institutional participation. “A lot of stock market participants can now participate in crypto, opening up the floodgates of institutional capital,” he said.

He added that expectations of a dovish stance from the US Federal Reserve and potential rate cuts are further driving liquidity into asset classes like crypto.

In India, however, the pace of institutional adoption remains slower. Nailwal attributed this to regulatory hesitation rather than technology gaps. While global technology access is equal, he said, the country has not yet fully embraced crypto at the institutional level.

Retail participation continues to grow through exchanges, but larger entities remain on the sidelines due to the lack of clear policy support.

Nailwal expressed optimism that India will eventually see broader participation, similar to what happened in the US, where early investors have seen significant wealth creation through Bitcoin and other established projects.

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On Polygon’s future, Nailwal highlighted the company’s focus on real-world applications and payment solutions rather than speculative tokens.

“We are more focused on real-world use cases,” he said, pointing to the recent success of PolyMarket — a crypto-based app built entirely on Polygon — which secured a $2 billion investment from the New York Stock Exchange.

Polygon continues to lead in stablecoin adoption, with strong market share in USDC and USDT transactions, and dominance in non-USD stablecoins.

Globally, he said, governments across regions — from the Middle East to Southeast Asia — are showing openness toward crypto projects and engaging with Polygon for collaborations and development opportunities.

Watch the video for more. Continue ReadingNote To ReadersDisclaimer: Polygon is backed by Reliance Industries Ltd, which owns Jio, is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust that controls Network18, the parent company of CNBCTV18.comCheck out our in-depth Market Coverage, Business News & get real-time Stock Market Updates on CNBC-TV18. Also, Watch our channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar Live on-the-go!Tagsbitcoincrypto investmentcrypto marketCryptocurencystablecoins