Institutional Investors Boost Positions in Global Payments and ING Group as Tokenized Treasurys Expand in Crypto Markets

Recent institutional investment activity highlights shifting capital flows in both traditional and emerging financial markets. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC’s $1.40 million investment in Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) during Q2, alongside broader institutional buying, underscores confidence in the payment services sector. Meanwhile, Midwest Trust Co.’s entry into ING Group (NYSE:ING) reflects optimism in the European banking industry. Parallel to these developments, Binance’s integration of BlackRock’s BUIDL as off-exchange collateral signals a pivotal shift in how tokenized real-world assets (RWA) are leveraged by institutional traders.

Institutional Buying in Payment and Financial Services Sectors
Los Angeles Capital Management’s new position in Global Payments, valued at approximately $1.40 million for 17,521 shares, adds to a broader trend of institutional accumulation. Over 89.76% of Global Payments’ shares are now owned by institutional investors, with notable increases from Pzena Investment Management (adding ~2.72 million shares) and Amundi (boosting holdings by 77.5% in Q1) . These moves suggest confidence in the firm’s business model, despite mixed quarterly results: while Global Payments exceeded EPS estimates ($3.26 vs. expectations), revenue fell short. The company maintains a $0.25 quarterly dividend (1.3% yield) and a consensus analyst rating of Hold with an average target of $104.10 .

ING Group has similarly attracted institutional attention, with Midwest Trust Co. purchasing 19,989 shares for $437,000 in Q2. This follows a strong earnings report (EPS of $0.70 vs. $0.64 expected) and revenue of $6.88 billion, surpassing forecasts. ING’s average analyst rating of Buy further reinforces its appeal . Other institutional investors, including SBI Securities Co. and Whipplewood Advisors, have also increased stakes, reflecting broader sector-wide optimism.

Tokenized Treasurys Gain Institutional Adoption
Binance’s decision to accept BlackRock’s BUIDL as off-exchange collateral marks a significant step in the integration of tokenized assets into traditional trading infrastructure. The move enables institutional traders to use BUIDL—a tokenized, interest-bearing USD fund—to support positions on the exchange while keeping assets with custodians. This functionality mirrors traditional finance practices where Treasurys are pledged as collateral through triparty systems .

BUIDL, BlackRock’s first onchain liquidity fund, has a total value of $2.52 billion and competes with other tokenized funds like Circle’s USYC ($1.06 billion) and Franklin Templeton’s BENJI ($850 million). Binance’s adoption of BUIDL follows similar moves by Deribit and Crypto.com in July and Bybit’s support for QCDT in September, indicating a growing appetite for low-volatility, yield-bearing assets in crypto markets .

The expansion of tokenized Treasurys has positioned them as the second-largest RWA category after stablecoins, with a combined market cap of $8.57 billion. This growth reflects institutional demand for assets that combine liquidity, yield, and regulatory compliance. BlackRock, which oversees $13.4 trillion in assets, has been instrumental in bridging traditional and crypto markets through partnerships like the one with Securitize .

Macro Implications and Market Trends
The convergence of traditional and digital asset strategies highlights evolving risk management frameworks. For Global Payments and ING Group, institutional buying indicates confidence in their resilience amid macroeconomic pressures, such as interest rate uncertainty and competitive market dynamics. Meanwhile, the adoption of tokenized Treasurys by exchanges like Binance suggests a maturing RWA ecosystem, where institutional-grade collateral is increasingly digitized to enhance efficiency.

The parallel growth in institutional investments and RWA adoption underscores a broader shift toward hybrid financial models. As platforms expand their collateral offerings, the lines between traditional banking, payment services, and crypto infrastructure continue to blur, creating new opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.