CoinShares survey finds wealthy investors want credible crypto advice

A new investor survey from digital asset manager CoinShares suggests that while most affluent investors want crypto-related guidance from their advisors, many remain unconvinced of their advisors’ expertise or risk literacy in the space.

Released in June, the study surveyed 500 US-based investors with at least $500,000 in investable assets, evenly split between high-net-worth and sub-high-net-worth households.

It builds on previous polling by Coinshares, which found advisors weighing a difficult decision when it comes to jumping into crypto.

Eighty-two percent of respondents said they would be more inclined to work with a financial advisor who provides crypto investment support. However, nearly one-third flagged concerns around credibility – specifically, whether their advisors had any personal experience in digital assets or provided sufficient risk disclosures.

“Digital asset adoption is advancing rapidly among investors who are self-educated and actively involved – but that doesn’t mean they want to go it alone,” Jean-Marie Mognetti, CEO of CoinShares, said in a statement revealing the latest findings. “They’re looking for advisors who can serve as strategic partners, not product pushers.”

The survey also found that 89 percent of current digital asset holders plan to increase their exposure this year. More than half said they engage with the market daily, a signal that crypto is becoming a regular feature in broader wealth strategies. While 88 percent of crypto investors already work with an advisor, 78 percent of non-crypto investors said they would consider doing so if their advisor offered credible support in this area.

CoinShares, a European firm that has ramped up its US efforts over the past year, is positioning itself to meet this growing demand. In October 2024, the company opened its American headquarters in New York City, a move that coincided with its acquisition of Valkyrie Funds and the onboarding of two crypto-themed ETFs – the CoinShares Valkyrie Bitcoin Fund (ticker BRRR) and the CoinShares Valkyrie Miners ETF (ticker WGMI).

Those additions expanded CoinShares’ US product footprint and pushed its global assets under management to between $5.5 billion and $6.5 billion. CoinShares also became the sole sponsor of BRRR in June 2024 after Valkyrie Digital Assets withdrew from the arrangement, according to an SEC filing.

“There is a significant opportunity for advisors who invest in their own credibility to differentiate themselves in a competitive market,” Mognetti said. “As the digital asset landscape matures, the advisor-client relationship will be defined by credibility. Investors aren’t just asking ‘what should I buy?’ They’re asking ‘do you understand this space as well as I do?’”

CoinShares has been building out infrastructure to support US engagement, launching an aggressive hiring push across compliance, sales, operations, and marketing. That includes the September 2023 debut of its hedge fund division, CoinShares Hedge Fund Solutions, aimed at qualified US investors seeking Bitcoin- and Ethereum-based strategies. The platform is offered through CoinShares Capital, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

To bolster its US institutional presence, CoinShares in January brought on Calvin Tintle as senior manager of national accounts and distribution. With two decades of experience in institutional asset sales – including a tenure at ProShares – Tintle’s appointment was described by CoinShares head of asset management Frank Spiteri as key to expanding US-facing product distribution and crypto-adjacent solutions.

The firm’s US operations are now supported by regulatory registrations with both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. CoinShares leadership has publicly backed the US as a leading jurisdiction for integrating digital assets into traditional finance, arguing that its regulatory clarity – despite historically persistent uncertainty – outpaces much of Europe in merging institutional practices with crypto innovation.

The regulatory climate has gotten much more hospitable for crypto firms this year, counting the introduction of a crypto task force at the SEC in January and more recent constructive statements from the agency's new chairman, Paul Atkins, to make the US the "crypto capital of the planet."

Investors surveyed by CoinShares echoed that interest in structure and oversight. Regulated vehicles such as ETFs and trusts were the most preferred digital asset access point, used by 28 percent of respondents – more than those using centralized exchanges. Risk management, product access, and education were cited as the most valuable services an advisor could offer in the crypto space.

The report also found that sub-high-net-worth investors are more likely than wealthier peers to say they plan to grow their crypto holdings, though they face more barriers to access and education. For many in this group, crypto represents not just diversification, but a potential lever for upward financial mobility.