Crypto: Wealthy investors are stacking sats while their advisers lag

The wealth gap in crypto adoption

Real talk: if you’re waiting for your financial adviser to give you the green light on crypto, you might be falling behind. A new CoinShares survey of 2,230 high-net-worth individuals across seven major economies shows that affluent investors are already diving into digital assets, with crypto making up about 10% of their portfolios on average.

In the U.S., UK, Germany, and Switzerland, around 70% of these investors are already on-chain, and a massive 85% plan to increase their bags in 2026. However, there’s a vibe check issue: roughly 40% of investors in countries like France and the U.S. say their financial advisers are being way too cautious, effectively missing the boat on the space. Ric Edelman, founder of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals, noted that while some research suggests actual allocations are currently sitting closer to 2% to 5%, he personally advocates for much higher exposure—between 10% and 40%—depending on your risk tolerance. Remember, though, this isn’t financial advice; always do your own research before aping into anything.

Market moves and corporate plays

While the market navigates some high-tension macro resistance—thanks to Treasury yields staying above 5%—the institutional interest isn't cooling off. OKX just snagged undisclosed new funding, keeping their valuation at a cool $25 billion. They’re also making major power moves with Intercontinental Exchange to launch a tokenized stock platform, currently pending SEC approval.

Meanwhile, Strategy (STRC) is shifting their focus back to their own house. Last week, they spent $176.3 million on buying back STRC shares—a move roughly six times larger than their $28.7 million BTC purchase. Their total holdings now sit at 848,000 BTC, but the pace of accumulation has definitely slowed compared to previous quarters.

Why it matters

There is a massive disconnect between how wealthy retail investors view crypto and the conservative stance of their traditional money managers. As global macro conditions shift, that gap could represent a major missed opportunity for the old-guard institutions, while the big players like OKX and Strategy are already busy building the infrastructure for a more integrated financial future.