Key facts
- A CoinShares survey found a majority of affluent investors in seven major economies hold digital assets.
- Crypto accounts for about 10% of these investors' portfolios on average.
- Over 85% of current digital asset investors in five countries plan to increase their exposure by 2026.
- A recent crypto sell-off made more respondents likely to invest, not less.
- Long-term appreciation and diversification are the primary investment reasons, not speculation.
- Bitcoin is held by 80% of digital asset investors, with 77% believing in its future financial role.
A survey by CoinShares indicates that a majority of affluent investors across seven major economies hold digital assets, with cryptocurrency making up approximately 10% of their portfolios on average. The survey included 2,230 investors with at least $500,000 in investable assets in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Digital asset ownership varied by country, ranging from 54% in Sweden to about 70% in the US, UK, Germany, and Switzerland. Looking ahead, at least 85% of current digital asset investors in five of the surveyed countries expressed plans to increase their exposure by 2026, with the US, UK, and Germany seeing as high as 91% intending to do so.
The recent cryptocurrency market downturn did not deter these investors; in all seven countries, more respondents indicated that the sell-off made them more likely to invest in digital assets rather than less likely. This resilience appears to stem from a long-term perspective, with long-term appreciation and diversification cited as the primary investment reasons, while speculation ranked last, with only 6% identifying primarily as short-term traders.
Bitcoin (BTC) remained the most widely held digital asset, with 80% of digital asset investors owning it on average. Furthermore, 77% of respondents believed BTC would play a significant role in the future global financial system, and 79% supported increased regulation of digital asset markets. Crypto exposure was notably higher among younger investors, who allocated more to digital assets than older investors across all seven countries.
The survey also highlighted a disconnect between affluent investors and their financial advisers. Approximately four in 10 respondents in Switzerland, France, the US, and Germany who worked with an adviser felt their advisers were overly cautious about digital assets. Ric Edelman, founder of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals, noted that many financial advisers are slow to adopt digital assets due to a lack of knowledge or incentive, and some firms even prohibit discussions or offerings of crypto-related investments.