A survey of wealthy investors across the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland reveals strong conviction in digital assets as long-term performers. Between May 11 and June 5, 2026, researchers surveyed 2,230 respondents each holding at least $500,000 in investable assets.
In the U.S., U.K., France, and Germany, between 33% and 40% of respondents ranked crypto assets above equities and real estate for long-term performance expectations. In Italy and Sweden, crypto trailed only equities. Switzerland was the exception, where crypto ranked below both equities and real estate. In the U.S., conviction in digital assets among respondents increased by 13 percentage points compared with 2025.
Bitcoin's Dominant Position
Bitcoin emerged as the most desired crypto asset across all surveyed countries. Between 65% and 77% of investors expressed desire for greater bitcoin exposure, compared with 30% to 47% for ether. However, the picture is more complex when examining actual holdings: while bitcoin leads in preference, one in five crypto asset holders owns no bitcoin at all. Among crypto holders, 58% own ether on average, 57% own stablecoins, and 36% own other altcoins.
In five of the seven markets, at least 85% of respondents already holding digital assets indicated they were extremely or very likely to increase exposure in 2026.
Stated Beliefs Versus Investment Behavior
A gap exists between investor convictions and stated investment rationales. Between 65% and 86% of respondents view bitcoin as playing a significant role in the future global financial system and as a hedge against fiat currency debasement. Yet only 9% to 19% of crypto asset holders cited hedging as their primary reason for investing.
The leading reasons cited were long-term capital appreciation and portfolio diversification. Crypto-native reasons—such as interest in blockchain technology, staking income, decentralized finance exposure, or investment in a new asset class—accounted for an average of 27% of responses across countries.
Broader Context From Other Research
Other surveys present a somewhat different picture. The HSBC Affluent Investor Snapshot 2026, which surveyed nearly 10,000 affluent and high-net-worth investors across 10 markets in January and February 2026, found mean crypto allocation at 6%, down 1 percentage point from 2025. The Coinshares study, by contrast, showed investors maintaining approximately 10% of portfolios in crypto assets.
In the HSBC survey, conducted when bitcoin peaked just above $97,000 before falling below $70,000, 45% of participants said they planned to increase crypto investments in 2026, while 40% planned to maintain stable allocations. A separate survey of 15 major institutional investors found that none reduced crypto allocations during the market drawdown this year, with several increasing positions.
