Younger investors could drive next crypto growth phase
Crypto mass adoption may be less about persuasion and more about demographics, according to Zac Prince, head of Galaxy Digital’s banking venture Galaxy One.
Speaking on the Milk Road show, Prince argued that as older generations pass on their wealth, younger heirs are likely to allocate a portion of inherited assets to crypto, reports Cointelegraph.
He noted that much of today’s global wealth is concentrated among baby boomers, whose investment preferences tend to skew more conservative. As that capital changes hands, the priorities of younger investors will begin to shape markets more directly. UBS estimates that Americans hold about $163 trillion in total wealth, with baby boomers controlling more than half of it. Even a modest reallocation of that capital could have an outsized impact on digital assets.
Younger investors show stronger crypto preference
Data already suggests a clear generational divide in asset preferences. A Coinbase Q4 State of Crypto report found that around 25% of younger investors hold non-traditional assets such as crypto, derivatives and private investments, compared with just 8% among older cohorts. Prince said this gap reflects not only risk tolerance but also familiarity with digital-first financial products. Younger investors are more comfortable with app-based platforms that offer instant execution and multiple asset classes in one interface.
These tools contrast sharply with traditional brokerage models that rely on phone calls or scheduled adviser meetings. As wealth transfers accelerate, such user experiences could become a competitive advantage for crypto-native platforms.
Older generations may already be warming up
While generational change is a key driver, evidence suggests older investors are not entirely closed off to crypto. A CoinSpot survey released last year found that nearly 39% of Australians over 60 were open to investing in crypto, roughly in line with the national average. Separate data from Independent Reserve showed crypto ownership among Australians aged over 65 tripled between 2019 and 2024, albeit from a low base.
These trends indicate that adoption may broaden across age groups rather than relying solely on inheritance dynamics. Still, Prince believes the structural shift will favor digital assets over time. As capital, technology and user preferences converge, crypto’s path to mass adoption may be gradual—but increasingly inevitable.
Recently we wrote that the total cryptocurrency market capitalization is hovering around $3.18 trillion, showing mild consolidation after recent gains.
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