In all 7 markets, more investors said February’s downturn made them more likely—not less—to invest in digital assets.

CoinShares' commissioned survey of affluent investors reveals a market inflection point: despite—or perhaps because of—February 2026's digital asset downturn, institutional and high-net-worth investors across major developed markets expressed increased conviction in crypto allocations. The survey encompassed 2,230 respondents across the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland, representing a broad cross-section of affluent capital pools.

Digital asset penetration is now mainstream among wealthy investors. Ownership rates ranged from 54% in Sweden to approximately 70% across other measured markets, with average portfolio exposure consistently clustering around 10%. This marks a structural shift in asset class acceptance, moving beyond niche or speculative positioning into core allocations by institutional-grade investors. The consistency of allocation size across diverse markets suggests emerging standardization in how wealth managers integrate digital assets into diversified portfolios.

The February downturn's psychological impact contradicts conventional risk-aversion patterns. Rather than triggering a flight to safety, the market decline acted as a "buying the dip" catalyst—a reversal of typical negative sentiment cascades. Among investors already holding digital assets, growth intentions for 2026 remain robust, ranging from 71% in Sweden to 91% in the US, UK, and Germany. This divergence between speculative and strategic motives is particularly telling: 41% of current investors cited strategic objectives compared to just 19% citing speculation, indicating a maturation in investor rationale away from short-term trading toward longer-term allocations.

Demand for professional intermediation reflects institutional legitimization. Fifty-five percent of respondents prefer accessing digital assets through intermediated channels, while 69% would consider engaging wealth managers with dedicated crypto expertise. This infrastructure preference underpins the survey's broader narrative: digital assets are transitioning from direct self-custody strategies to regulated, advisory-backed positioning. Regulatory appetite further validates this shift, with 79% of respondents supporting stronger market oversight, suggesting investors view standardized rules as confidence-building rather than constraining.