The cryptocurrency market is cementing a stronger position in the financial advisory industry. A joint survey by Bitwise and BetaFi showed that 99 percent of financial advisers who invested in cryptocurrency in 2025 plan to maintain or increase investments in 2026. This suggests cryptocurrency is becoming a mainstream investment asset led by advisers, beyond being a volatile asset.

On Jan. 14 local time, blockchain media outlet Cryptopolitan reported the findings were confirmed in the “8th Bitwise/BetaFi 2026 Benchmark Survey of Financial Adviser Attitudes Toward Crypto Assets.” About 32 percent of surveyed advisers said they invested in cryptocurrencies for clients in 2025, up 10 percentage points from the previous year.

Crypto allocations in client portfolios also expanded noticeably. Of portfolios that included cryptocurrencies, 64 percent had crypto weights of at least 2 percent, up sharply from 51 percent in 2024. An assessment says this goes beyond simple trial inclusion and is entering a stage of strategic asset allocation.

The share of professional financial advisers holding cryptocurrencies hit a record high. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they hold cryptocurrencies in personal assets, the highest level since the survey began in 2018. Institutional access is also improving quickly. The share of advisers who said they can buy cryptocurrencies directly in client accounts was 42 percent, up markedly from 35 percent in 2024 and 19 percent in 2023.

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan said, “2025 was the year financial advisers fully jumped into the crypto market.” He said they served as a trusted guide on behalf of millions of clients. The report said bitcoin hit a record high of $126,000 in 2025 and other major cryptocurrencies also posted gains. It said the assets under management overseen by financial advisers during the period amounted to trillions of dollars.

Hougan said, “The direction of the crypto market increasingly depends on financial advisers’ judgment.” He said many people wondered how advisers would respond when the market shows volatility, but said the answer so far is clear: “They plan to buy more.”

Meanwhile, Todd Rosenbluth, head of research and editorial at TMX BetaFi, said demand for crypto-related ETFs was very strong in 2025, while taking a cautious stance that flows could still change depending on the future market environment. Still, advisers responded that they are gradually increasing crypto allocations for both themselves and clients.

The report said financial advisers overwhelmingly prefer crypto equity ETFs and crypto index funds over single-token products, and that this trend is expected to continue in 2026. The biggest funding sources were stocks at 43 percent and cash at 35 percent, while interest in stablecoins and tokenised assets rose to 30 percent. Digital gold and hedging against declines in fiat currency value at 22 percent, and crypto-related AI investment at 19 percent, were also cited as major interests.

Among respondents, advisers at registered investment advisers (RIAs) made up the largest share at 46 percent, followed by independent broker-dealers at 25 percent, financial planners at 16 percent, wirehouses at 7 percent and institutional investors at 3 percent. In personal portfolios, the share holding crypto was highest among “other financial professionals” at 89 percent, followed by institutional investors at 75 percent, RIAs at 50 percent and financial planners at 45 percent.

Client interest in cryptocurrencies remains high. As of 2025, 94 percent of advisers said they received crypto-related questions from clients. That was slightly down from 2024, but up compared with 2023 at 88 percent and 2022 at 90 percent. The report stressed that it has become more important than ever for financial advisers to be prepared to respond professionally to crypto-related questions.

Overall, the survey shows institutional and adviser-led crypto adoption is accelerating, and that crypto assets are moving from the periphery of investment portfolios to a core area.