Matt Poblocki

Cryptocurrency has become a core growth allocation for emerging investors looking to build diversified, multi-asset portfolios that deliver long-term wealth creation, according to new research from consumer insight and behavioural research firm Protocol Theory, commissioned by Binance Australia.

The survey of more than 1600 Australians aged 18-64 revealed 1 in 4 (26%) now hold crypto, with a further third (32%) open to investing in the future. Emerging investors – those aged 18-34 – were the most bullish, with crypto closely following equities as the most common-held asset class (32% vs 36%).

Diversification (40%) and long-term wealth creation (38%) were the leading motivators for crypto investment, closely followed by income generation and inflation protection. The research identified three long-term wealth goals, including saving for retirement (50%), building future financial security (47%), and generating passive income (36%).

Binance CEO, Richard Teng, who is in Australia to speak at Australian Crypto Con (ACC), the largest crypto conference in the southern hemisphere, said this national pulse check demonstrated the growing maturity of the crypto market.

“2025 is proving to be a landmark year for crypto adoption.  A quarter of Australians aged between 18-64 now hold crypto, and we expect more than 10,000 investors at the Australian Crypto Convention on the weekend. It is no longer a speculative, niche investment but an established growth asset class,” Mr Teng said.

“These investors aren’t those looking ‘to get rich quick’. Rather, the research found them to be extremely financially literate, with 57 percent describing themselves as extremely or very knowledgeable compared to just 27 percent of non-holders.

“Macro conditions have driven investors to look beyond traditional growth assets, like equities, to build long-term wealth. Investing in crypto is a nice complement to diversified portfolios. It employs the same fundamentals as equity investing – diversification, long-term mindset, risk-adjusted returns – with crypto investors now understanding it’s time in the market, not timing the market.”

Crypto investors more active and diversified

Australian crypto investors were found to be significantly more diversified across all traditional asset classes than the general population and planned to actively invest further in the coming 12-months.

Crypto users hold more shares (59% vs 38%), ETFs and LICs (44% vs 23%), managed funds (33% vs 21%), property (26% vs 10%), bonds (17% vs 8%), and derivatives (13% vs 5%). Reflecting their high financial acumen, 20 percent of crypto users hold SMSFs and 41 percent self-manage their crypto investments.

Commenting on the findings, Binance Australia & New Zealand General Manager, Matt Poblocki, said there was clear appetite for new avenues of wealth generation.

“Approximately one in three Australians under 50 hold crypto. These are the investors who are looking to build wealth to meet their longer-term financial goals, like retirement, buying a home, or starting a family,” Mr Poblocki said.

“As cost-of-living concerns continue to bite, Australians are seeking ways to grow their capital, while securing returns that outpace inflation over the long-term. Crypto has proven itself as a developed, growth asset class with an important role to play in a well-diversified, modern portfolio.

“The global regulatory reforms underway, especially in the US and Australia, have further bolstered confidence that crypto is here to stay, ensuring we strike the right balance between industry innovation and user protections.”

Blue-chip investments in favour

To meet their long-term wealth goals, Australians favour established crypto networks, coins, and tokens.

Of those surveyed, 70 percent hold Bitcoin, 42 percent hold Ethereum, and 25 percent hold other major tokens, such as BNB, Solana, or Cardano. Far fewer hold memecoins (20%) or stablecoins (18%), suggesting a market increasingly driven by fundamentals rather than hype.

Recent platform activity reflects this dynamic. In October, Bitcoin reclaimed its position as the top-traded asset on Binance Australia for the first time in three months, followed by Ethereum, Solana, and BNB, demonstrating continued confidence in blue-chip, utility-driven networks.

“What stands out in the research is how normalised crypto has become in the investment conversation,” Mr Poblocki said. “Investors are increasingly looking through short term bouts of volatility and approaching investing in digital assets with the same discipline and long-term mindset they bring to traditional assets, with many now considering it a standard part of the modern portfolio. This maturity and shift towards fundamentals and blue-chips shows how quickly the market has evolved and will continue to do so.

As crypto investing matures, users are demanding more of Australia’s financial system with almost two thirds (62%) believing it requires major reform.

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