Quick Breakdown
- 35% of wealthy young US investors have moved money from advisers who don’t offer crypto.
- 84% plan to increase their crypto holdings next year, with high earners leading the shift.
- Investors demand broader access to digital assets, insured custody, and seamless portfolio integration.
A growing divide is emerging between traditional wealth advisers and younger high-net-worth investors in the United States, with new data suggesting that money managers may need to overhaul their approach to digital assets or risk losing clients.
Crypto access now a “must-have” for wealthy young Americans
A new survey by crypto payments firm Zerohash, released on Wednesday, revealed that 35% of US investors aged 18 to 40 have moved money away from advisers who failed to provide crypto exposure. All participants earned between $100,000 and $1 million annually, and among those who switched advisers, more than half shifted between $250,000 and $1 million.
The findings highlight a generational shift: younger investors are exhibiting far less risk aversion than older cohorts, particularly now that crypto enjoys the most favourable regulatory and institutional climate it has seen in the US.
Zerohash noted that investors making $500,000 or more are the most likely to walk away from traditional advisers, with half of this group moving funds specifically because advisers lacked crypto offerings.
Demand for crypto exposure expected to surge
The survey shows that appetite for digital assets is far from cooling. Eighty-four per cent of all surveyed investors plan to boost their crypto holdings in the next 12 months, and nearly half intend to increase their allocations significantly.
Zerohash said the data reinforces a clear message: crypto has become “an essential component of a modern investment portfolio,” and younger wealthy clients are unwilling to wait for their advisers to adapt. The report cautions that advisers who remain slow to integrate compliant, insured crypto services risk losing relevance and clients.
Investors also expressed clear expectations on how advisers should modernise, including crypto and traditional assets displayed on the same investment dashboard, insured custody and access beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. An overwhelming 92% of respondents said having exposure to a broader range of digital assets was important.
A report on crypto adoption and sentiment in 2024 reveals that approximately 40% of American adults now own digital assets, equating to about 93 million people in the crypto market.
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