London, Mar 11: Despite last year’s market volatility, more than 9 out of 10 institutional investors and wealth managers plan to increase their holdings in crypto and digital assets over the next 12 months, according to new global research conducted by Nickel Digital Asset Management (Nickel), Europe’s leading digital assets hedge fund manager founded by alumni of Bankers Trust, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan.
The study found that 91% of professional investors intend to expand their exposure to the sector in the year ahead, with 13% planning to dramatically increase their digital asset allocations, underscoring growing confidence in crypto markets.
The research surveyed executives at pension funds, insurance asset managers, family offices, hedge funds, and wealth managers across the US, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Singapore, Brazil, and the UAE, collectively managing over $14 trillion in assets. The findings indicate that the planned expansion builds on strong growth from the previous year:
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Nearly 6 out of 10 investors (59%) increased their digital asset holdings over the past 12 months, including 12% who made dramatic increases.
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26% reduced their investments in digital assets, while 7% sold all holdings.
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5% maintained unchanged investment levels.
Anatoly Crachilov, CEO and Founding Partner at Nickel Digital, commented:
“Digital assets are increasingly embedded within institutional portfolios. The toolkit has expanded significantly, allowing allocations to be calibrated with far greater precision according to risk appetite and portfolio objectives. Investors can access the asset class across a wide spectrum—from low-volatility, delta-neutral, and arbitrage strategies generating uncorrelated returns, to directional strategies and full beta exposure via ETFs.”
The research highlights that institutional confidence in digital assets remains strong, and professional investors continue to view crypto as an integral part of diversified investment strategies, despite market fluctuations.
