51% of High-Net-Worth Investors Move Assets from Crypto-Averse Advisors

Young Wealthy Americans Abandon Financial Advisors Who Ignore Crypto as Demand for Digital Assets Surges

A generational shift in wealth management is accelerating as affluent millennials and Gen Z investors increasingly move assets away from financial advisors who fail to integrate cryptocurrency into their services. According to a new report from zerohash, a leading crypto infrastructure provider, 51% of high-net-worth investors earning $500,000 to $1 million+ have shifted portfolios totaling $250,000 to $1 million from advisors who do not offer crypto access. The survey, conducted with research firm Centiment and covering 500 U.S. investors aged 18–40, highlights a widening gap between client expectations and advisor capabilities in an era where 61% of young investors already treat crypto as a core portfolio component.

The findings underscore a $124 trillion wealth transfer anticipated over the next two decades, as younger generations inherit assets and demand modernized portfolio management. For these investors, crypto is not a speculative novelty but a standard asset class. Among the highest earners surveyed, 69% hold crypto, with 58% allocating 11–20% of their portfolios to digital assets. Notably, 84% of crypto holders plan to increase their allocations in the next 12 months, while 92% seek a broader range of tokens.

The disconnect between client demand and advisor offerings is stark: 76% of crypto holders manage their digital assets independently, using exchanges and wallets outside their advisors' platforms. Only 24% hold crypto through their brokers or wealth managers. This trend is driving client attrition, with 35% of all affluent investors in the survey - rising to 51% among top earners - reporting they have moved assets away from crypto-averse advisors.

Industry experts argue that advisors who fail to adapt risk losing a critical share of this generational wealth. "The bar for advisors is low: they need to recognize crypto as a legitimate asset class and integrate it into their dashboards," said the zerohash report. Clients are prioritizing advisors who can offer compliant, insured crypto custody, tax planning for on-chain assets, and estate strategies for digital inheritance.

Regulatory shifts may ease integration. In 2025, the SEC introduced guidance allowing state-chartered trust companies to serve as qualified crypto custodians, removing prior restrictions under SAB 121. Firms like Fidelity, BitGo, and Anchorage Digital are now offering institutional-grade custody solutions compatible with traditional wealth management platforms. However, many advisors remain hesitant due to compliance complexities and legacy infrastructure limitations, even as competitors like DAiM and Abra Capital Management target crypto-savvy clients.

The SEC's 2026 examination priorities, which omit crypto as a specific focus, reflect broader industry deregulation under President Donald Trump. While this may reduce compliance burdens, it also signals a regulatory environment where advisors must proactively address client demand. Meanwhile, new products like Leverage Shares' 3x leveraged Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in Europe and SoFi's FDIC-insured crypto trading service highlight expanding access points for investors.

For advisors, the stakes are clear: 64% of investors would stay with or increase assets under management if crypto access were available. Yet inertia persists, as many firms struggle to update investment policy statements, operational systems, and cybersecurity protocols for digital assets. The window to adapt is narrowing, with clients increasingly turning to platforms that treat crypto as a routine part of wealth management.

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