A key factor for the Nasdaq and other institutional investors is regulation.

Although Friedman seemed bullish about the future of digital currency, she said that regulation is what needs to be determined before the company would release a cryptocurrency exchange.

She also mentioned she believes that digital currencies will continue to persist and that it’s just a matter of how long it will take for that space to mature,” Friedman said. “Once you look at it and say, ‘do we want to provide a regulated market for this?’ Certainly Nasdaq would consider it.”

In the meantime, the Nasdaq is supporting existing cryptoexchanges.