Affluent investors seen boosting crypto exposure: Survey

A new survey reveals affluent investors across seven major economies are boosting their exposure to cryptocurrencies, despite financial advisers expressing caution. CoinShares' survey of 2,230 investors with at least $500,000 in investable assets found digital assets, primarily Bitcoin, accounted for around 10% of portfolios on average.

Ownership ranged from 54% in Sweden to 70% in the US, UK, Germany and Switzerland, with 85% in five countries planning to increase exposure by 2026. Despite the February 2026 crypto market downturn, respondents viewed the sell-off as making them more likely to invest in digital assets rather than less likely. Long-term appreciation and diversification were the primary reasons for investing in crypto, rather than speculation.

Bitcoin remained the most widely held digital asset, with 80% of investors owning it, though 89% also held other digital assets. Younger investors showed particularly high crypto exposure, allocating more than older investors in all seven countries. A disconnect between affluent investors and financial advisers was noted, with four in ten respondents in Switzerland, France, the US and Germany feeling their advisers were overly cautious about digital assets.

Ric Edelman, founder of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals, suggested financial advisers are slow adopters due to lack of knowledge and incentives, and some firms prohibit discussing crypto or offering related investments. Edelman recommends allocations ranging from 10% to 40% depending on risk tolerance, suggesting allocations of 10% or higher will become the norm as the asset class matures.

However, a 2022 survey found 77% of Americans viewed cryptocurrency in workplace retirement plans as risky, including 46% who considered it very risky.