- A CoinShares survey finds that more than half of affluent investors across seven major markets already hold digital assets, with many existing crypto investors planning to increase their exposure in 2026.
CoinShares PLC (NASDAQ: CSHR) said a majority of affluent investors surveyed in the US and six European markets now hold digital assets, highlighting the growing role of cryptocurrency in portfolios among investors with at least $500,000 in investable assets.
The CoinShares Affluent Investor Crypto Report, published Oct. 5, surveyed 2,230 investors across the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.
Digital asset ownership ranged from 54% in Sweden to 70% in the US, UK and Germany. Switzerland followed at 69%, while 66% of respondents in France and 58% in Italy said they held digital assets.
The survey was conducted by strategic research consultancy Vardaxoglou Advisory between May 11 and June 5. Respondents had at least $500,000 in investable assets excluding real estate and had completed at least one investment transaction during the previous 12 months.
The findings provide a snapshot of investor attitudes rather than actual future purchases. CoinShares commissioned and funded the research, and the company noted that online surveys can be affected by sampling and self-selection.
Affluent Investors Are Increasingly Treating Crypto as a Portfolio Asset
The survey found that digital assets accounted for roughly 10% of portfolios on average across the markets studied. CoinShares said strategic reasons, including long-term appreciation and diversification, were more commonly cited than speculation as investment motivations.
Among existing digital asset investors, the proportion planning to increase exposure during 2026 ranged from 71% in Sweden to 91% in the US, UK and Germany. France recorded 87%, Italy 85% and Switzerland 78%.
Germany produced one of the strongest responses to the February 2026 market downturn. According to the survey data released by CoinShares, 54% of German respondents said the decline made them more likely to invest, compared with 23% who said it made them less likely.
The findings are notable because they point to continued interest among wealthy investors despite the sharp volatility seen earlier in the year. They also suggest that some affluent investors are approaching digital assets as part of broader portfolio construction rather than solely as short-term trading positions.
Bitcoin remains the main entry point. CoinShares found that 80% of digital asset investors held Bitcoin, while 89% of Bitcoin investors also owned other digital assets.
That diversification is relevant to the broader development of the cryptocurrency market. Wealthier investors increasingly have access to regulated investment products and brokerage-based crypto exposure, reducing the need to interact directly with cryptocurrency exchanges or manage digital wallets.
Wealth Managers Face Growing Demand for Crypto Expertise
The survey also points to a widening gap between investor demand and traditional wealth-management practices. CoinShares found that 55% of respondents preferred intermediated access to digital assets through channels such as brokerage platforms, crypto exchange-traded products and custodial wealth management rather than direct exchange access.
Wealth managers were also the most trusted source of digital asset information in every market surveyed. Yet 88% of respondents said they lacked enough knowledge to invest with full confidence.
That combination could create greater demand for financial advisers with digital-asset expertise. CoinShares said 69% of respondents would consider working with a wealth manager specializing in crypto, while 98% of current investors who were open to advisory services said they would be willing to pay for them.
Regulation was another prominent theme. Some 79% of respondents supported increased regulation of the digital asset market. The survey also found that US Administration policy signals generated greater investment intent across the markets than the EU's MiCA regulatory framework, although those findings measure reported intentions rather than actual capital flows.
The results build on CoinShares' previous research into affluent investors. Its 2025 survey of wealthy investors and crypto similarly found strong interest in increasing digital asset exposure and demand for guidance from financial advisers.
The latest findings also arrive as institutional access to Bitcoin continues to expand. US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs have become an important route for traditional investors seeking crypto exposure, while recent Bitcoin ETF inflows have demonstrated how quickly institutional demand can change.
For investors evaluating crypto alongside traditional assets, the survey adds evidence that digital assets have moved beyond a niche allocation for a substantial portion of affluent investors. It does not establish that these investors will make the purchases they currently intend to make, but the ownership figures and reported plans to increase exposure show that crypto remains firmly on the radar of wealthy investors across major Western markets.
For affluent investors, the central shift identified by the CoinShares research is not simply that more people own crypto. It is that a majority of surveyed investors in all seven markets now report some level of digital asset exposure, while many existing holders expect to increase that exposure during 2026.