The year 2026 is shrouded in uncertainty – will family offices maintain their pace of allocation in cryptocurrencies?

Key Facts

• In 2025, family investment offices significantly increased their exposure to the digital assets market
• Bitcoin and Ether remain the main choices due to accessibility and security of storage
• Price volatility poses challenges to the prospects of rapid growth in allocations in the coming year

The landscape of cryptocurrency investments among wealthy families has undergone a substantial transformation. Instead of experimenting, family offices have shifted to a more disciplined approach, focusing on moderate but systematic increases in digital asset exposure. As this segment becomes more institutionalized, an increasing number of family funds make purchasing decisions based on in-depth analysis rather than speculative impulses.

Adoption Dynamics indicate growing interest

Numbers clearly show a shift in institutional attitudes toward this area. A BNY Mellon survey from October revealed that 74% of ultra-wealthy family offices are already investing or actively exploring opportunities in the digital assets sector. This represents a 21 percentage point increase year-over-year – a rate that suggests accelerated interest in this asset class.

Muhammed Yesilhark, responsible for investment decisions at NOIA Capital, points out that family investment structures have focused on segments where infrastructure and risk control mechanisms have already reached a sufficient level of maturity. This primarily concerns Bitcoin and Ethereum – assets characterized by high liquidity and established market standards.

Digital Ascension Group confirmed an increase in the number of initial capital deposits, driven more by a rigorous due diligence approach than by a desire for short-term gains. Many offices deliberately avoid smaller tokens and complex DeFi protocols, opting instead for assets with broader adoption and better security profiles.

Concerns on the horizon – challenges for 2026

However, optimism faces a real obstacle – rising price volatility. Recent market turbulence has prompted some family investment offices to adopt a more cautious stance toward accelerating new allocations. Instead of aggressively expanding exposure, these institutions are extending their investment horizons and increasing their involvement in this area more slowly.

Market participants believe that further growth in cryptocurrency exposure will depend on two key factors: the reopening of public capital markets to companies in the digital assets sector and a clear improvement in the regulatory environment. Current uncertainties are shifting optimism toward a more conservative approach.

Paradoxically, other studies indicate that institutional sentiment remains constructive for long-term growth. A report jointly prepared by Coinbase and EY-Parthenon shows that 83% of institutional investors intend to increase their allocations to cryptocurrencies this year. This suggests that despite short-term uncertainties, long-term confidence in the segment remains relatively strong.

The overall picture is thus complex – family offices expanded their activities in 2025, but market volatility casts a shadow over the pace of this expansion in 2026. The final direction will largely depend on market stabilization and clarification of regulatory frameworks.