60% of wealth managers plan crypto allocations

TLDR

A recent Bitwise survey finds that 60 percent of wealth managers plan to add crypto allocations within a year, showing rising interest but from a still-low starting point.

1. The poll covers 400 wealth managers, with 60 percent intending to allocate to crypto and 60 percent expecting higher prices, even though two-thirds currently hold no crypto.
2. Other research shows advisers and institutions slowly increasing exposure, mainly via regulated products like spot crypto ETFs and exchange-traded notes rather than direct coin holdings.
3. The main things to watch are new ETF launches, tokenization products, and whether these stated intentions translate into actual flows over the next 12 months.

Deep Dive

1. What The Survey Shows

Bitwises Head of Research presented a poll of 400 wealth managers in which 60 percent said they plan to allocate to crypto within the next year and 60 percent expect higher crypto prices by year-end. At the same time, 67 percent of respondents reported having zero crypto allocation today, so the survey captures intention more than current practice. The findings are audience-specific rather than industry-wide, but they highlight a clear shift in attitudes among professional money managers toward digital assets.

2. Institutional Adoption Picture

Separate adviser research cited in the same presentation shows crypto allocations in client accounts rising from 22 percent in 2024 to 32 percent in 2025, and the share of advisers able to buy crypto for clients increasing from 35 percent to 42 percent. Institutional investor data from 351 respondents indicates that 73 percent plan to increase crypto allocations in 2026, with 74 percent expecting prices to rise over the next 12 months, and 66 percent already holding spot crypto ETFs or similar exchange-traded products. A large majority, 81 percent, say they prefer regulated vehicles and 65 percent cite improved regulatory clarity as the main driver for larger positions, reinforcing the idea that access and structure matter as much as conviction.

3. What To Watch Next

Bitwise expects a wave of U.S. crypto-linked ETF launches, which would expand the menu of easy to plug into a portfolio products for wealth managers. Beyond pure crypto, tokenized assets such as equities and real-world assets are being pitched as complementary exposure, giving managers more ways to add digital asset themes without directly holding coins. Over the next year, the key signals will be reported flows into spot ETFs and tokenized products, changes in firm-level investment policies, and whether the proportion of wealth managers with zero crypto exposure begins to fall meaningfully.

Conclusion

Sixty percent of wealth managers planning crypto allocations reflects a notable attitudinal shift, but actual adoption is still early and constrained by access, regulation, and product design. For crypto users, the opportunity lies in tracking how fast those intentions turn into ETF and tokenization inflows, since sustained institutional buying would be a structural tailwind rather than just short term sentiment.