A new survey reveals that wealthy young Americans are taking drastic action when their financial advisors can't help them invest in cryptocurrency. More than one in three have already moved their money elsewhere, taking hundreds of thousands of dollars with them.

The study, conducted by crypto infrastructure company Zerohash, surveyed 500 U.S. investors between ages 18 and 40 who earn between $100,000 and $1 million annually. The results paint a clear picture: crypto access has become a must-have feature for wealth management services.

The Scale of the Exodus

Thirty-five percent of surveyed investors reported they had already moved money away from advisors who don’t offer crypto exposure. This isn’t just about moving small amounts either. More than half of those who switched transferred between $250,000 and $1 million to new advisors.

The trend becomes even stronger among the wealthiest investors. Among those earning $500,000 or more per year, a full 50% had already switched advisors due to lack of crypto offerings. High-net-worth clients showed a 51% churn rate, compared to just 34% among mass affluent investors.

These numbers represent real financial consequences for advisory firms. Many are losing not just clients, but their largest and most profitable relationships.

Why Crypto Matters to Young Investors

The survey found that 61% of U.S. investors aged 18-40 now hold digital assets. For context, this makes crypto as common in young portfolios as real estate investments, and far more common than hedge funds, art, or collectibles.

Portfolio allocations to crypto are substantial. Forty-three percent of crypto-holding investors allocate 5-10% of their portfolios to digital assets, while 27% allocate 11-20%, and 11% hold more than 20%. Overall, 71% of investors allocate between 5% and 20% of their total portfolios to crypto.

Souce: zerohash.com

Confidence in digital assets has grown significantly thanks to institutional adoption. More than four-fifths of respondents said their trust in crypto increased as major financial institutions like BlackRock, Fidelity, and Morgan Stanley embraced the sector over the past year.

The Self-Directed Trend

Perhaps most concerning for traditional advisors, 76% of crypto investors currently buy and manage their digital assets independently. They’re choosing to bypass financial advisors entirely for this asset class.

This creates a dangerous situation for wealth management firms. Their clients are making significant investment decisions without professional guidance, simply because the advisor can’t or won’t provide crypto services.

Looking ahead, 84% of surveyed investors plan to increase their crypto holdings within the next 12 months. Nearly half expect to increase those allocations significantly. This suggests that digital assets are becoming a permanent, structural component of wealth portfolios rather than a passing trend.

What Investors Actually Want

The survey revealed specific requirements that investors have for crypto services through their advisors. They’re not asking for anything exotic. Instead, they want the same professional standards they expect from traditional wealth management.

Sixty-three percent said they would be more likely to invest in crypto through an advisor if the assets appeared in the same dashboard as their traditional investments. They want integrated, seamless experiences rather than having to manage crypto separately.

Investors also demand institutional-grade infrastructure. This includes independent audits, transparent reporting, regulated custodians, and insured custody. They’re not interested in risky, unregulated platforms. They want professional-grade security and compliance.

Additionally, 92% of surveyed investors want access to a broader range of digital assets beyond just Bitcoin and Ethereum. They’re looking for diversified crypto exposure across multiple tokens and protocols.

The Warning for Financial Advisors

Zerohash made its message to financial advisors clear. The company stated that crypto has become “essential to modern portfolio strategy” and warned that wealth advisers who fail to adapt may lose clients to platforms offering broader digital asset access.

The report emphasized that advisors who adapt early can strengthen client loyalty and capture new growth, while those who delay risk falling behind.

The financial stakes are significant. Among high-net-worth clients who switched advisors, many moved $500,000 to $1 million or more. Advisors aren’t just losing accounts—they’re losing some of their largest revenue relationships.

The gap between what clients want and what advisors offer continues to widen. While investors are actively seeking crypto exposure, many advisory firms remain hesitant due to regulatory concerns, lack of knowledge, or institutional inertia.

The Broader Industry Shift

This survey aligns with other recent research showing dramatic changes in financial advisor attitudes toward crypto. Other studies have found that the percentage of financial advisors allocating crypto to client portfolios doubled year-over-year, and that 99% of advisors already holding digital assets plan to maintain or increase their exposure.

The Trump administration’s more crypto-friendly regulatory stance has also contributed to growing confidence in the space. Clear regulatory frameworks are giving institutions the confidence to commit to digital asset offerings.

Zerohash itself recently achieved unicorn status after raising $104 million at a $1 billion valuation. Major players like Interactive Brokers, Morgan Stanley, and SoFi participated in the funding round, demonstrating Wall Street’s commitment to crypto infrastructure.

The Digital Divide Widens

The survey results highlight a generational and technological divide in wealth management. Younger, tech-savvy investors view cryptocurrency as a normal part of a diversified portfolio. They’ve watched Bitcoin mature over 15 years, seen institutional adoption accelerate, and witnessed crypto ETFs gain regulatory approval.

Meanwhile, many traditional advisory firms remain stuck in old frameworks. They’re applying outdated risk models to a rapidly maturing asset class. The result is a mismatch between client expectations and service delivery that’s costing firms their most valuable relationships.

For investors, the choice is becoming simpler. If their current advisor won’t provide professional crypto services, they’ll find one who will. With 84% planning to increase crypto holdings and half expecting significant increases, this trend will likely accelerate.

A Defining Moment

The wealth management industry faces a defining moment. Crypto has moved from fringe speculation to mainstream portfolio component. Young wealthy investors—who represent the future of wealth management—have made their expectations clear.

Advisory firms that embrace this change with proper infrastructure, compliance, and education will capture market share. Those that resist risk becoming irrelevant to an entire generation of investors.