According to a recent report, 87% of the surveyed high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) in Asia own digital assets, and 60% plan to increase their allocation.
This indicates a more mature digital asset market across the region. Wealthy investors in key markets are increasingly viewing crypto as an important part of their portfolios.
Increased use of digital assets among wealthy Asian investors
The findings come from Sygnum's APAC HNWI report 2025. The survey of over 270 affluent and professional investors from 10 Asia-Pacific markets shows a significant shift: digital assets are becoming a structural part of long-term wealth strategies in the region.
The report showed that 87% already own digital assets as part of their investment portfolios. Furthermore, 49% of respondents allocate more than 10% of their portfolio to crypto, with a median exposure in the 10–20% range. 60% plan to increase their allocation.
“Affluent individuals in Singapore and elsewhere in the APAC region are embracing digital assets as a real opportunity for wealth creation and preservation. Their disciplined, cross-generational approach to investing, combined with a higher risk appetite, drives significant allocations to digital assets—particularly within Singapore's well-regulated MAS framework, which provides the institutional safeguards these investors expect,” says Lucas Schweiger, report author and head of Sygnum's research department for crypto assets.
Wealth preservation surpasses speculation
A central narrative throughout the report is the increasing maturity of Asian private investors. 90% of respondents now believe that digital assets are important for long-term wealth preservation and generational planning. Diversification has become the main motivation for investment decisions, ahead of short-term trading and exposure to megatrends.
The demand for more advanced products is also increasing. Affluent individuals are showing growing interest in actively managed strategies, outsourced investment mandates, and products with additional returns that fit into their existing wealth structures.
Notably, investors are increasingly expecting traditional wealth managers to keep pace. Recently, BeInCrypto reported that a significant share of investors in the USA have already shifted funds away from advisors who do not offer crypto exposure.
“Singapore's MAS framework and Hong Kong's emerging regulations on digital assets have established the infrastructure that allows traditional wealth managers to offer crypto services—the question is no longer whether private banks can meet this demand, but when they will do so,” stated Gerald Goh, Sygnum co-founder and APAC CEO.
The demand for ETFs goes beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum
The demand for various exchange-traded funds is particularly evident. The report shows that 80% of respondents want ETFs that go beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Solana stands out, as 52% are interested in exposure to this asset.
This is followed by crypto index funds with multiple assets at 48% and XRP at 41%. Note that 70% state they would allocate, or increase their allocation, if yields from staking were incorporated into the ETF structure.
Sygnum notes, however, that a significant portion of investors are now approaching the market with caution after recent fluctuations.
Factors such as unclear regulation, ongoing concerns about custody and security, and varying licensing requirements across jurisdictions continue to limit broader participation.
Nevertheless, long-term confidence remains strong. 57% of affluent and 61% of ultra-affluent investors expressed a bullish or strongly bullish view on the cryptocurrency market in the long term. Confidence is bolstered by increasingly tighter integration between crypto and traditional finance.
Goh emphasizes that APAC is rapidly becoming one of the world's fastest-growing and most influential hubs for digital assets, and expects this trend to accelerate further into 2026.
