• Nexo says 67% of affluent investors own crypto, but integration stays low.
• Security, fees and platform complexity emerge as key barriers to adoption.
• US investors show deepest crypto integration despite lower ownership rates.

High-net-worth investors are increasingly buying crypto, but many are still reluctant to make it a major part of their long-term wealth plans, according to a new Nexo survey.

The report found that 67% of affluent investors across the US, UK and Argentina already own crypto. However, security concerns, high fees and complicated platforms are stopping many from using digital assets for retirement planning or replacing traditional investments.

Nexo published its “Future of Digital Wealth 2026” report on September 23 after surveying 1,000 affluent investors. Its new Crypto Integration Index, which measures how deeply crypto is incorporated into investors’ finances, produced an average score of 4.83 out of 10.

Ownership outpaces deeper integration

Nexo said a score near the survey average of 4.83 represents a small, short-horizon crypto position outside retirement planning.

Only 4.7% of surveyed investors scored seven or higher, a level Nexo describes as structurally integrated, where crypto has replaced a traditional asset and forms part of longer-term financial planning.

The report found that just under 20% of respondents expect crypto to become their number-one personal wealth driver over the next decade, ahead of salary, equities and real estate.

More than 40% are already invested in crypto without yet building wealth with it.

“Once an investor gets past the risk perception stage, what’s left is security, fees, and platform user-friendliness and capabilities – the same things we’ve spent years building Nexo to solve,” said Neil Steinhardt, COO, Nexo US.

That’s the gap between owning crypto and actually building wealth with it, and it’s exactly where our platform is designed to meet investors.

Integration also varies by market. Argentina had the highest ownership rate at 74%, but a CII score of 4.62. The US had the lowest ownership at 62%, but the deepest integration with a score of 5.07.

The UK recorded 65% ownership and a CII score of 4.75.

Platform trust becomes the next hurdle

The report said crypto integration peaks among investors aged 35 to 44, with 28% treating digital assets as a core retirement asset.

Investors aged 18 to 25 reported the highest ownership and conviction, with more than 90% holding crypto, but only 2% maintaining a horizon of 10 years or longer.

Among structurally integrated investors with CII scores of seven or more, reported frictions shift towards platform trust. Security concerns were cited by 36%, high fees by 34%, and platform complexity by 28%.

“Risk perception used to be the story in every crypto adoption survey. It isn’t anymore,” said Iliya Kalchev, analyst at Nexo.

In our data, risk perception barely separates investors who’ve built real wealth with crypto from those who haven’t — what actually divides them is whether they’ve substituted crypto for a traditional asset and folded it into retirement planning. For affluent investors it’s the planning and the smoothness of operating with that crypto that remains to be resolved.

The survey was fielded in February and March 2026 through Attest. Respondents needed at least $100,000 in liquid assets in the US and UK, or $40,000 in Argentina, thresholds calibrated to capture the top 25% to 30% of each market by investable wealth.

Nearly 67% of affluent investors across the United States, United Kingdom and Argentina have owned crypto, but only 4.7% have integrated digital assets deeply into long term financial planning, according to new research from Nexo.

According to Nexo’s “The Future of Digital Wealth 2026” report, operational issues such as security, fees and platform complexity remain among the main obstacles for wealthy investors who already have exposure to digital assets.

The survey covered 1,000 affluent investors and was conducted through research platform Attest in February and March 2026. Participants needed at least $100,000 in liquid assets in the U.S. and U.K. or $40,000 in Argentina, thresholds Nexo said were designed to capture the top 25% to 30% of investors by investable wealth in each market.

Ownership was relatively common across the surveyed group, with roughly two thirds holding digital assets. Their average score on Nexo’s new Crypto Integration Index, however, stood at 4.83 out of 10.

High net worth investors own crypto but integration remains limited

Nexo created the Crypto Integration Index to measure how digital assets fit into an investor’s finances beyond simply owning them. Five factors receive equal weight: allocation size, holding period, retirement integration, replacement of traditional assets and perceived risk.

An investor near the 4.83 survey average typically held a relatively small crypto position over a shorter period and had not incorporated it into retirement planning, according to the report.

Only 4.7% of respondents scored 7 or higher. Nexo classified investors above that threshold as “Structurally Integrated,” meaning their crypto positions had generally been held for longer, had replaced part of a traditional asset allocation and had become part of long term financial planning.

Conviction appeared stronger than the integration figures suggested. Just under 20% of surveyed investors expected crypto to become their biggest source of personal wealth creation over the coming decade, ahead of salary, equities and real estate.

Nexo analyst Iliya Kalchev said perceived risk showed little difference between investors who had deeply incorporated crypto into their finances and those who had not.

“What actually divides them is whether they’ve substituted crypto for a traditional asset and folded it into retirement planning,” Kalchev said.

Interest in incorporating crypto into managed portfolios has appeared elsewhere in the wealth industry. A September poll shared by Bitwise found that 60% of participating wealth managers planned to allocate to crypto within a year, even though 67% said they were not currently allocating client portfolios to digital assets.

Security and fees remain hurdles for deeper crypto use

Operational concerns became more prominent among investors who had already reached higher levels of crypto integration.

Among respondents with Crypto Integration Index scores of 7 or above, 36% cited security concerns as a source of friction. High fees were identified by 34%, while 28% pointed to platform complexity.

Neil Steinhardt, chief operating officer of Nexo US, said investors who had moved beyond concerns about crypto risk were left dealing with security, fees and the usability and capabilities of platforms.

“That’s the gap between owning crypto and actually building wealth with it,” Steinhardt said.

Nexo has a commercial interest in digital asset adoption and acknowledged that relationship in disclosures accompanying the research. The company said its index is intended as a descriptive measure of reported investor behavior and that a higher score should not be interpreted as representing a better investment strategy.

The findings come after Nexo returned to the U.S. market in February 2026 with investment, trading and crypto backed credit products. As crypto.news previously reported, the relaunch followed the company’s earlier withdrawal from the country and a $45 million settlement with U.S. regulators over its Earn Interest Product.

Nexo said at the time that its U.S. services would operate through a compliance focused framework. CryptoQuant data cited around the relaunch showed the platform had issued approximately $863 million in loans during the preceding year.

Crypto integration differs across the U.S., U.K. and Argentina

Nexo’s survey found a gap between the number of people holding crypto in each market and the extent to which those holdings had become part of their financial planning.

Argentina recorded the highest ownership rate at 74%, but its average Crypto Integration Index score was 4.62, the lowest of the three markets surveyed.

The United States produced the opposite pattern. Crypto ownership among U.S. respondents stood at 62%, below Argentina and the U.K., while its average integration score of 5.07 was the highest.

U.K. respondents sat between the two markets, with 65% reporting crypto ownership and an average index score of 4.75.

Argentina has become a growing market for Nexo itself. The company launched a crypto card in the country in July, allowing eligible clients to make purchases in Argentine pesos and U.S. dollars while using digital assets through the platform. Nexo appointed Andres Ondarra as general manager for Argentina as part of the same expansion.

The country’s relatively high ownership rate comes as the number of people holding crypto worldwide continues to grow. Henley & Partners estimated in September that global crypto ownership had reached 742 million people, even as the number of crypto millionaires fell to 135,694 during a contraction in the digital asset market.

Retirement use peaks among investors aged 35 to 44

Age produced another gap between crypto ownership and its use in long term financial planning.

Investors between 35 and 44 recorded the deepest retirement integration in Nexo’s survey, with 28% treating crypto as a core retirement asset.

Respondents between 18 and 25 showed the highest ownership and conviction. More than 90% in the age group reported holding crypto, but only 2% said they had an investment horizon of at least 10 years.

Retirement products have gradually begun opening additional routes for digital asset exposure in some markets. Coinbase Australia, for example, added support for self managed super funds in May, allowing eligible trustees to incorporate crypto exposure into self directed retirement portfolios.

Institutional surveys have shown a similar willingness to consider larger allocations. A Coinbase and EY Parthenon survey of 351 institutional investors conducted in January found 73% planned to raise their digital asset allocations during 2026, while 74% expected crypto prices to rise.

Nexo cautioned that its own findings apply specifically to the surveyed group of affluent investors and are not representative of the general population. The company described crypto assets as speculative and high risk instruments whose value can fall rapidly, while advising investors to seek independent financial, legal and tax advice before making investment decisions.

A BitGo Research report said that Bitcoin (BTC) absorbed two bearish catalysts, a rate hike by the Federal Reserve and the Senate’s failure to pass the CLARITY Act, to recover and maintain its position above $86,000.

According to the report, BTC’s price action was the outlier compared with other assets like gold and equities. The flagship cryptocurrency fell toward $75,000 following the rate hike before making a quick recovery as ETF demand and short covering supported the rally.

Bitcoin Absorbs Bearish Catalysts

According to BitGo Research Chief Greg Cipolaro, BTC’s reaction contrasted with that of traditional assets like gold after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) raised interest rates. Cipolaro argued that the flagship cryptocurrency’s muted reaction to the hike and the CLARITY Act setback likely means the price action had already factored in the bearish developments. Renewed ETF demand, lower oil prices, declining Treasury yields, and short covering also supported BTC’s rally.

“Bitcoin absorbed a hawkish FOMC surprise and a failed Clarity Act vote in the same week, and shrugged off both. Gold, equities, and the dollar moved exactly as textbooks predict. Bitcoin didn’t.”

Two Bearish Catalysts for Bitcoin

The first bearish catalyst was the Senate’s failure to pass the CLARITY Act, a development that came before the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decision. The US Senate rejected cloture to proceed with H.R. 3663. The vote ended 49-59, 11 votes short of the number required. The CLARITY Act aims to establish a clear federal framework, dividing oversight of digital assets between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Senator Thom Tillis, who was actively involved in bipartisan discussions regarding crypto market rules, ultimately voted against cloture so that he could file a motion to reconsider. However, no new cloture vote is on the Senate’s official list.

The next bearish catalyst for BTC was the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise interest rates by 25 basis points. It was the first rate hike since July 2023 and was supported by all 12 voting members of the committee. BitGo said that, while the hike was expected, the Fed’s new rate projections caught markets by surprise. According to the September Summary of Economic Projections, the median federal funds rate was 4.1% for 2026 and 2027, against June projections of 3.8% and 3.6%. Meanwhile, projections for 2028’s median jumped from 3.4% to 3.9%. Additionally, 16 of the 18 committee members project at least one more rate hike this year. According to Cipolaro, the projections suggest Fed officials expect interest rates to remain elevated.

Meanwhile, the traditional markets reacted along expected lines to the Fed’s decision. The Dow Jones ended September 1.21% lower, and the S&P 500 fell 0.44%, while short-term Treasury yields rose and the dollar strengthened.

Bitcoin (BTC) Price Action: A Case for Resilience

Bitcoin’s reaction to both developments was telling. The flagship cryptocurrency dropped sharply after the Senate failed to advance the CLARITY Act, falling over 3% to $75,584. The Fed’s decision to increase interest rates drove the price lower. However, BTC rebounded from a low of $74,911 to reclaim $76,000 and close at $76,144. The recovery was attributed to the fact that the rate hike was already priced in. The flagship cryptocurrency continued its ascendancy despite the bearish developments, as ETF inflows, improved market sentiment, and short covering pushed the price higher.

BTC rose nearly 6% on Friday thanks to positive regulatory shifts and renewed institutional demand, crossing $80,000 and settling at $80,875. The flagship cryptocurrency started the current week with a 6.70% jump, crossing $86,000 and settling at $86,594. BTC is currently trading around $86,140.

The rebound occurred as spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded substantial inflows. CoinGlass data shows the ETFs recorded $159.50 million in inflows on Thursday, and $433 million on Friday. Inflows jumped to $999 million on Monday, while Tuesday recorded $714.70 million, taking total inflows to $2.3 billion over four sessions. Nansen research analyst Nicolai Sondergaard also highlighted strong inflows as a key driver behind BTC’s rally, with forced short liquidations as another factor.

According to BitGo, BTC did not behave as expected following the current hike. Cipolaro said BTC historically weakened alongside other traditional assets when market conditions became difficult. Equities, gold, the dollar, and Treasury yields behaved as expected, while BTC was the outlier. However, BitGo highlighted spot Bitcoin ETFs, which gave institutions and brokerages regulated access to the asset; several public entities held BTC on their balance sheets, and derivatives markets have also grown considerably.

Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.

US regulators are increasingly signaling that tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs) and broader “onchain” market infrastructure may become the next major shift in financial plumbing. CFTC Chair Michael Selig used remarks at the US Treasury Market Conference to argue that markets should prepare for “mass tokenization,” as regulators seek to adapt existing rules to blockchain, AI and onchain finance.

Selig’s comments frame tokenization not as a niche experiment, but as an evolution comparable to the move from manual signals to electronic trading. At the same time, the CFTC and SEC are both taking separate but related steps—working through existing authorities and limited regulatory pathways—while broader legislative efforts remain in limbo.

Key takeaways

• CFTC Chair Michael Selig said markets should prepare for “mass tokenization,” positioning RWAs as a foundation for faster settlement and real-time collateral movement.
• Selig emphasized a “principles-based” approach as tokenization and onchain finance mature under the CFTC’s remit.
• The CFTC has submitted a crypto market regulatory action for White House review, but it is currently at the “prerule” stage.
• The SEC is also pushing on tokenized markets, including granting a temporary “Innovation Exemption” for tokenized US stock trading.
• Regulatory momentum is building even as the CLARITY Act has failed to advance in the US Senate.

CFTC Chair: tokenization as the next infrastructure upgrade

Speaking Tuesday at the US Treasury Market Conference, Selig argued that tokenization of real-world assets could help create a more efficient financial system. His remarks highlighted potential operational benefits such as near-instant settlement and the ability to move collateral in real time across clearinghouses, intermediaries and end users.

In his comparison to past market modernization, Selig said, “Just as the transition from hand signals to electronic trading advanced our financial system, I believe tokenization can do the same for all asset classes.” He added that the CFTC intends to pursue principles-based rules as tokenization and onchain finance evolve.

This matters for market participants because “principles-based” frameworks can affect how quickly issuers, exchanges, clearing firms and custody providers can build products and integrate them into existing market structures. Rather than requiring everything to fit a single prescriptive model, the approach can leave room for different tokenization architectures—though it also increases the importance of interpretation and compliance guidance as new cases emerge.

Legislation stalled; CFTC moves using existing authority

Selig’s remarks come amid an ongoing legislative backdrop. Earlier in August, he said the CFTC would move ahead with crypto rules under its existing authority if Congress did not pass the CLARITY Act. Cointelegraph previously reported that the Senate failed to advance the bill on Sept. 15.

That pressure point appears to be part of why the CFTC is leaning into regulatory action without waiting for a comprehensive statute. On Sept. 17, the CFTC submitted a regulatory action covering crypto asset transactions and markets for White House review. According to the description of the filing, it remains in the “prerule” stage and does not yet outline the planned regulations.

For traders and builders, the “prerule” status is a reminder that timelines may stretch while proposals circulate through internal and executive review processes. However, the submission itself signals that the CFTC is treating crypto market oversight as an active, ongoing process rather than a wait-and-see posture.

SEC’s onchain push: tokenized stocks under a temporary exemption

The CFTC’s focus on tokenization of RWAs is not the only regulatory thread. The SEC has also been advancing tokenized market mechanisms, including through targeted permission structures rather than waiting for broad, future rulemaking.

In a Bloomberg TV interview, Jamie Selway, the SEC’s Division of Trading and Markets Director, said tokenization and crypto have recently become politicized, but are “not naturally a politicized function.” Selway argued that the US should receive bipartisan support for building markets that function effectively in this new environment.

Following that general push, the SEC on Sept. 17 granted a temporary “Innovation Exemption” for tokenized US stock trading. The exemption allows certain platforms to trade digital versions of US-listed stocks under specified conditions.

The SEC’s use of an exemption framework is significant because it creates a controlled channel for experimentation. It can reduce friction for participants willing to comply with narrow restrictions while regulators develop longer-term standards. The SEC Chair Paul Atkins previously said in February that such an exemption could facilitate onchain trading while longer-term rules are developed.

Read alongside the CFTC’s remarks, the pattern suggests regulators are converging on the idea that onchain functionality—settlement efficiency, programmability, and potentially real-time collateral flows—should be approached through enforceable guardrails rather than outright delay.

What to watch next: principles-based rules and the shape of “tokenized markets”

Between the CFTC’s principles-based posture and its “prerule” submission for White House review, and the SEC’s temporary exemption approach for tokenized equities, the near-term question is less whether tokenization will expand and more how regulators will define the boundaries of compliant onchain trading and settlement.

Investors, traders, and developers should watch for two things next: any movement from “prerule” toward more detailed CFTC proposals, and the conditions or duration attached to the SEC’s Innovation Exemption—both of which will likely signal how far and how fast tokenized markets can grow within current regulatory frameworks.

Crypto’s downturn over the last year has done little to slow stablecoins at the border, with cross-border stablecoin flows rising 77.5% in the year to June 2026 as the broader market lost more than a third of its value, according to new research from Chainalysis. 

In its newly released 2026 Global Crypto Adoption Index, Chainalysis said cross-border stablecoin flows rose 77.5% to $220.3 billion in the 12 months ending June 2026, from $124.2 billion in the previous 12-month period, despite total crypto market capitalization falling 37% to $2.1 trillion over the same period. 

“The bear market hit the price-sensitive half of crypto and left the payments half alone,” Chainalysis said.

The growth points to increasing crypto demand beyond speculative trading. Stablecoins, which are designed to maintain a stable value, often against fiat currency, have gained a foothold in mainstream finance. The US signed the GENIUS Act into law in July 2025, while the European Union’s MiCA rules and Hong Kong’s issuer licensing regime have brought stablecoins further within formal financial oversight.

Chainalysis said growth came from cross-border transfers averaging around $3,000, which is consistent with everyday use cases such as supplier payments, sending money home or moving savings out of volatile currencies. 

“Activity has become consistent, routed through wallets in a steady rhythm rather than in bursts,” Philip Gradwell, vice president of economics at Tether, told Chainalysis. “That is the signature of trade and business activity, not speculation.”

Tianwei Liu, co-founder and CEO of StraitsX, told Cointelegraph that in Asia, fragmented currencies and payment systems have created demand for stablecoin settlement. 

“That demand is also extending into everyday spending, with stablecoins sitting behind payment methods people already use,” Liu said.

However, outside of Asia, stablecoins address different needs, he said, including dollar access, remittances and protection against inflation or capital controls, such as across Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.  

Related: Stablecoin growth could boost dollar dominance, US Treasury demand: BoE official

Chainalysis tracked 4,708 new cross-border corridors during the reporting period, carrying a combined $2.64 billion. Each corridor represents a route between an originating and receiving country.

Flows remained heavily concentrated in the top quarter of corridors, which accounted for 96.1% of measurable cross-border stablecoin value. The remaining three quarters carried $8.66 billion, up from $260 million in the previous period. 

Vincent Chok, co-founder and CEO of First Digital, told Cointelegraph that while traditional payment structure remains effective for established corridors, it becomes fragmented as businesses move money between markets with different banking systems, currencies and settlement hours. 

Stablecoins offer another option, he said, but it is still restrained by regulatory clarity, reliable redemption, access to local currencies and interoperability with existing financial systems. 

“Onchain settlement is fast, but it doesn’t solve the off-chain parts: converting to local currency, meeting compliance requirements, and moving funds through existing banking rails,” Chok said.

Meanwhile, traditional remittance companies have expanded their stablecoin offerings this year.

Western Union launched a stablecoin wallet and Visa-linked card across 37 markets in August, allowing users to hold and spend its branded US dollar-backed stablecoin. 

MoneyGram announced a similar card initiative in September, initially targeting Colombia, with additional markets planned later this year. 

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