A recent report by Sygnum, the APAC HNWI Report 2025, reveals that digital assets are now a core component of wealth strategies for Asia's High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs). The findings underscore a major transition from speculative trading to long-term wealth planning.
Key Investment Metrics
The survey, which covered over 270 wealthy and professional investors across 10 Asia-Pacific markets, highlights decisive adoption:
Current Holdings: 87% of surveyed HNWIs already hold digital assets in their investment portfolios.
Significant Allocation: 49% allocate more than 10% of their portfolios to crypto, placing the median HNWI exposure in the 10–20% range.
Future Plans: 60% of respondents intend to increase their allocations.
Long-Term View: 57% of HNWIs (and 61% of Ultra-HNWIs) maintain a bullish or strongly bullish long-term outlook for the crypto market.
🛡️ From Speculation to Wealth Preservation
The primary motivation for investing has fundamentally shifted, indicating a maturing asset class:
Long-Term View: 90% of respondents now view digital assets as crucial for long-term wealth preservation and generational planning, rather than just short-term speculation.
Top Motivation: Diversification is now the leading driver for allocation decisions, surpassing exposure to megatrends and short-term trading.
Product Demand: Investors are increasingly interested in sophisticated, institutional-grade products, including actively managed strategies, outsourced mandates, and yield-enhanced vehicles that seamlessly integrate with existing wealth structures.
Lucas Schweiger, Report Author and Sygnum Crypto Asset Ecosystem Research Lead, noted the disciplined approach: "HNWIs in Singapore and the wider APAC region are embracing digital assets as a genuine wealth creation and preservation opportunity. Their disciplined, intergenerational approach to investing, combined with a higher risk appetite, is driving substantial allocations to digital assets—particularly within Singapore’s well-regulated MAS framework..."
🌐 Expanding ETF Demand Beyond Majors
Investor appetite for regulated products extends well beyond the two largest assets:
Diversified ETFs: 80% of respondents seek exposure to ETFs that go beyond Bitcoin ($BTC ) and Ethereum ($ETH ).
Altcoin Interest: Solana stands out with 52% interest, followed by multi-asset crypto indexes (48%) and XRP ($XRP ) (41%).
Yield Integration: A significant 70% stated they would allocate or increase allocations if staking yield were incorporated into ETF structures.
Despite a cautious near-term outlook due to regulatory clarity and custody concerns, the long-term convergence of crypto and traditional finance remains the key confidence booster.
Gerald Goh, Sygnum Co-Founder and APAC CEO, emphasized the role of regional regulation: “Singapore’s MAS framework and Hong Kong’s advancing digital asset regulations have established the infrastructure needed for traditional wealth managers to offer crypto services—the question is no longer whether private banks can serve this demand, but when they will move to meet it.”
He expects APAC's momentum as a leading digital asset hub to accelerate into 2026.
