Forget traditional equities—U.S. investors are increasingly setting their sights on expanding their cryptocurrency portfolios, outstripping their enthusiasm for conventional stock market allocations, according to comprehensive new research released on Wednesday.
The findings come directly from Charles Schwab’s highly anticipated 2026 Modern Wealth Survey, which sheds light on shifting consumer sentiment regarding modern wealth-building strategies. The data reveals a distinct preference among current cryptocurrency holders to continually grow their digital asset positions over the next year, outpacing traditional investment vehicles in projected allocation growth.
According to the research, an overwhelming six in ten current cryptocurrency investors plan to increase their holdings over the next 12 months. This represents a higher share of planned accumulation than among owners of all other major investment classes measured in the survey. Specifically, digital asset holders show more eagerness to buy more of their preferred asset class than owners of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, at 56%, individual stocks at 52%, bonds at 42%, and mutual funds at 41%.
Joe Vietri, Head of Digital Assets at Charles Schwab, emphasized the strong momentum behind these figures in an official statement accompanying the survey’s release. Existing cryptocurrency investors are certainly leaning in, particularly younger demographics who are driving much of the interest and momentum in the digital asset ecosystem. However, Vietri pointed out that the broader narrative extends beyond mere speculative enthusiasm. To him, the bigger story is that cryptocurrency is increasingly viewed as a complementary component to traditional investments rather than a speculative fringe asset.
The shifting attitudes highlighted by the Schwab survey arrive as mainstream financial institutions continue to integrate digital assets into their core offerings. Charles Schwab stands as the country’s largest custodian for registered investment advisors. Earlier this year, the firm initiated a phased rollout of Schwab Crypto to retail clients, a significant operational step that provides investors with direct access to bitcoin trading alongside dedicated educational content and professional client support.
Beyond direct spot trading access, Schwab maintains a robust suite of cryptocurrency-related investment products designed to cater to varying risk appetites and portfolio strategies. The firm currently offers crypto-linked exchange-traded funds, bitcoin futures, and its proprietary Schwab Crypto Thematic Index ETF. Highlighting the firm’s deep integration with the sector, Schwab CEO Rick Wurster has noted that Schwab clients hold more than 20% of all crypto exchange-traded products across the entire financial industry, underscoring the massive scale of traditional wealth flowing into the space.
Wednesday’s report further contextualized the broader adoption curve, noting that one in five Americans overall currently own cryptocurrency. Furthermore, an additional one in five respondents indicated that while they do not currently own any digital assets, they are actively interested in purchasing them in the future. When isolating the demographic of traditional investors, the adoption rate climbs significantly higher, with nearly half of all investors reporting current cryptocurrency ownership.
Demographic breakdowns within the survey data continue to highlight a generational divide in asset preferences. Millennials emerged as the demographic cohort most likely to own cryptocurrency, reporting ownership rates more than four times higher than those observed among Baby Boomers. This generational adoption trend reinforces observations by industry leaders that younger investors are fundamentally redefining portfolio diversification and long-term wealth accumulation strategies.
The underlying data for these insights was gathered through an online survey conducted by Logica Research between August 24 and September 17, 2026. The research captured a nationally representative sample of 2,000 American adults ranging in age from 21 to 75, providing a comprehensive snapshot of how everyday consumers and seasoned investors view the evolving financial landscape.
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