Six out of 10 U.S. cryptocurrency investors plan to increase their holdings over the next 12 months, a survey showed.

Bitcoin Magazine reported on Oct. 7 that cryptocurrency ranked highest among major investment asset classes for intent to add exposure in Charles Schwab's 2026 Modern Wealth Survey.

Among respondents who currently hold cryptocurrency, 60 percent said they plan to increase their investment over the next year. That compares with 56 percent for ETFs, 52 percent for stocks, 42 percent for bonds and 41 percent for mutual funds. The findings suggest existing holders are more inclined to buy more than in other traditional assets.

Joe Vietri (조 비에트리), head of digital assets at Charles Schwab, said existing crypto investors are actively increasing allocations. He said younger investors in particular are driving much of the interest and momentum around cryptocurrency. He said existing crypto investors are clearly going deeper.

The survey also showed a shift in perceptions of cryptocurrency. Vietri said, in a broader trend, cryptocurrency is increasingly being accepted as an asset that complements traditional investments rather than replaces them. That suggests crypto is moving beyond a separate speculative asset and being incorporated as part of portfolios.

Across all Americans, the survey found 1 in 5 currently hold cryptocurrency. Another 1 in 5 said they do not yet hold it but are interested in buying. Among investors alone, nearly half held cryptocurrency.

By generation, millennials showed the strongest tendency to hold cryptocurrency. Their crypto ownership rate was more than four times that of baby boomers. The findings again confirmed that demand for cryptocurrency is expanding around younger people.

Charles Schwab's business strategy is also linked to the market shift. Charles Schwab is the largest custodian for registered investment advisers in the United States, and since early this year it has been rolling out Schwab Crypto in stages for retail clients to support direct bitcoin trading. The service also provides educational content and expert support.

Charles Schwab also offers crypto-linked ETFs, bitcoin futures and its own thematic ETF, the Schwab Crypto Thematic Index ETF. Rick Wurster (릭 워스터), Charles Schwab's chief executive officer, has said Charles Schwab clients hold more than 20 percent of the industry's total crypto exchange-traded products.

Logicada Research conducted the online survey of 2,000 U.S. adults aged 21 to 75 from Aug. 24 to Sept. 17. The results showed that among U.S. investors, cryptocurrency is becoming established as an asset class held alongside existing assets rather than remaining only a standalone investment target.