It's news to no one that treasury organizations tend to be conservative. Some emphasize the importance of innovation, but even those are very careful about making big changes that might impact corporate cash flows. And yet every treasury team on the planet is facing a prospective shift in one of the most foundational aspects of their domain: the nature of money.

Digital currencies already exist, of course. Treasurers are grappling with whether to incorporate cryptocurrencies like bitcoin into any area of operations. A few prominent companies, including Tesla and MicroStrategy, have bet on crypto—for better or for worse. But the wild volatility in cryptocurrencies' value has made it easy for many corporate treasurers to ignore the opportunity hidden behind the substantial risk.

That's why Gartner's prediction last December that one in five multinational businesses will be using digital currencies by 2024 caught our attention. Treasury & Risk spoke with Alexander Bant, chief of research in the Gartner Finance practice, to find out more.

Treasury & Risk:  So, I'll start by asking what Gartner is seeing in the marketplace. Where are companies going, and where are they currently, in terms of integrating digital currencies into their operations?