Investor interest in digital assets might be growing, but concerns about the security and regulatory uncertainty around the asset class mean that Bitcoin and crypto ETFs remain the most likely avenues for allocation. These were among the findings of a recent survey administered by CoinShares, a global investment firm specializing in digital assets.
CoinShares found that 56% of surveyed investors are most interested in putting their money in Bitcoin. Tokenized assets, or NFTs, came in a distant second with 32%, followed by Ethereum (30%) and stablecoins (28%).
When it came to vehicles through which investors were most likely to allocate to digital assets, investors did not have a clear-cut preference. They showed a slight preference for ETFs or trusts, with 28% of respondents citing them, followed closely by traditional brokerage platforms (24%), centralized exchanges (21%), custodial investment platforms accessible through their financial advisors for digital asset investment (16%) and decentralized exchanges (10%).
Alternative investment platforms have been developing their digital asset offerings recently. For example, in early May, crypto asset manager Bitwise became the first firm to offer its assets through alternative investment platform iCapital. Those investments require a minimum of $250,000 and are only available to qualified purchasers.
What Investors Want From Financial Advisors
Most surveyed investors indicated they would like to work with a financial advisor on investing in digital assets. For example, 78% of investors with no such holdings expressed this preference, along with 93% of sub-HNW investors—those with between $500,000 and $1 million in investible assets. In addition, 53% of all investors said they trust their financial advisor the most for accurate insights into the asset class. Four in five investors, or 82%, said they would be more likely to work with an advisor who offered guidance on digital assets.
“Digital asset adoption is advancing rapidly among investors who are self-educated and actively involved—but that doesn’t mean they want to go it alone,” said Jean-Marie Mognetti, CEO of CoinShares, in a statement. “They’re looking for advisors who can serve as strategic partners, not product pushers. There is a significant opportunity for advisors who invest in their own credibility to differentiate themselves in a competitive market.”
Investors are most interested in getting advice on risk assessment and risk management strategies from their advisors (50%). Moreover, 48% said they would like customized portfolio allocation strategies, and 46% are looking for secure custody and asset protection recommendations. Forty-four percent cited both access to institutional-grade products and help navigating crypto tax regulations and reporting requirements.
About half of those surveyed (49%) said their preferred channel for learning more about digital assets would be one-on-one sessions with their advisor. Forty-six percent said they wanted to learn through in-depth video tutorials or courses, and 44% preferred educational articles or blog posts.
At the same time, 29% of investors view it as a red flag when an advisor lacks personal experience with digital assets, and another 29% are wary when these assets are recommended without discussing potential risks.
Overall Interest in Digital Assets
The survey found that 75% of all respondents, including those with no current exposure, have an interest in digital assets. Fifty-three percent said they would like to learn more about the asset class, while 22% are planning to invest in the near future. A quarter of those surveyed said they have no interest in digital assets. Sub-HNW investors were significantly more likely to plan a near-term investment, at 36%. Only 13% of high-net-worth investors planned to do so.
The top reasons for investing in digital assets included high return potential from trading and speculation (26%), long-term capital appreciation (19%) and interest in blockchain technology and innovation (18%). Among investors who have yet to allocate money to these assets, 54% said they were most attracted by potential portfolio diversification. Another 39% cited long-term capital appreciation.
The top concerns around investing in digital assets focus on potential security risks, such as hacking and fraud, among both investors and financial advisors (54% for both). Another 52% of investors and 49% of advisors remain concerned about regulatory uncertainty. Volatility was a concern for 51% of investors and 42% of advisors, while 51% of investors and 53% of advisors said they found it difficult to accurately measure the value of digital assets.
While investing in digital assets can bring higher returns, allocations that rise above approximately 2% of a portfolio can significantly increase risk concentration, according to previous findings from Wilshire Indexes.
In addition, digital assets still come with heightened concerns around fraud. Most recently, Oregon’s Attorney General filed a complaint against the country’s largest crypto trading platform Coinbase for violating state securities law. The lawsuit alleges the firm pocketed millions in fees as it operated an exchange that sold unregistered securities. The SEC previously tried to sue Coinbase for allowing the trade of unregistered crypto tokens in 2023, but dropped its case after its senior crypto policy advisor was demoted in January.
CoinShares conducted its survey online between April 15 and April 24, 2025. It included responses from approximately 250 investors and combined them with the results of a survey of 250 U.S. financial advisors it conducted in February 2025.
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