Wealth Managers Signal Crypto Shift With 60% Planning Allocations

In a recent presentation to roughly 400 wealth managers, 60% indicated they intend to allocate to crypto within the next year. The same proportion expects crypto prices to rise by year‑end, while 67% currently have no crypto exposure.

Poll Findings

The data were shared by Bitwise Head of Research Ryan Rasmussen on LinkedIn after a joint session with Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan. The poll reflects the intentions of the audience, not a statistically representative sample of the entire wealth‑management industry.

Allocation Intentions

• 60% of respondents plan to add crypto to client portfolios within 12 months.
• 67% have not yet allocated any crypto assets.
• 60% anticipate higher crypto prices by the end of the year.

Assets Discussed

The presentation covered a range of digital assets, including bitcoin, ethereum, solana, hyperliquid, stablecoins, and tokenization concepts, as well as regulatory considerations.

Broader Adviser Trends

Separate research from Bitwise and VettaFi shows a gradual rise in crypto allocations among financial advisers. In the 2026 benchmark survey, 32% of advisers reported crypto exposure in client accounts for 2025, up from 22% in 2024. Access remains uneven, with 42% able to purchase crypto for clients, compared with 35% a year earlier.

Institutional Perspective

A March survey of 351 institutional investors by Coinbase and EY‑Parthenon found 73% plan to increase crypto allocations in 2026, and 74% expect price gains. Nearly half (49%) said volatility heightened their focus on risk management, liquidity, and position sizing. Familiar investment structures dominate preferences: 66% hold spot crypto ETFs or exchange‑traded products, and 81% prefer accessing spot crypto through a registered vehicle. Improved regulatory clarity was cited by 65% as the primary driver for expanding holdings.

Outlook

Bitwise projects more than 100 U.S. crypto‑linked ETFs to launch in 2026, indicating potential growth in regulated, brokerage‑accessible products that could facilitate broader wealth‑manager participation.