Affluent Investors Boosting Crypto Holdings Despite Cautious Advisers

Most affluent investors across seven major economies are increasing their crypto exposure, with digital assets now making up roughly 10% of their portfolios on average, according to a new CoinShares survey covering 2,230 investors with at least $500,000 in investable assets. The study spanned the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland, with digital asset ownership ranging from 54% in Sweden to approximately 70% in the US, UK, Germany, and Switzerland. At least 85% of current crypto holders in five of the seven countries plan to expand their digital asset allocations in 2026, with that figure reaching as high as 91% in the US, UK, and Germany.

The February 2026 market downturn did little to slow investor enthusiasm. Across all seven countries surveyed, more respondents said the sell-off made them more likely to invest in digital assets than less likely, reflecting a long-term outlook on the asset class. Long-term appreciation and portfolio diversification were the top reasons cited for crypto investment, while speculation ranked last, with just 6% of respondents identifying primarily as short-term traders. Bitcoin remains the most widely held digital asset, owned by 80% of crypto investors on average, though 89% of BTC holders also maintain positions in other tokens. Notably, 77% of respondents believe Bitcoin will play a significant role in the future global financial system, and 79% support increased regulation of digital asset markets.

Younger investors showed the heaviest crypto concentration, allocating more to digital assets than older peers in every country surveyed and roughly twice as much in four of them. However, a significant disconnect persists between affluent investors and their financial advisers. Roughly 40% of respondents in Switzerland, France, the US, and Germany who work with an adviser described them as overly cautious about digital assets. Ric Edelman, founder of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals and Edelman Financial Engines, told Cointelegraph that advisers remain slow adopters of crypto, often lacking the knowledge or incentive to engage with the asset class. Edelman noted that advisors are already busy running successful practices, leaving little bandwidth to explore emerging investment categories like digital assets.