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.

The post Crypto now a core growth investment for Australians appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Matt Poblocki

The cryptocurrency market edged down 1.7% in August, but the month highlighted clear signs of maturity, according to the latest Binance Australia Monthly Crypto Market Insights Report. Bitcoin’s dominance eased, while capital rotated into both altcoins with practical utility and into innovative sectors such as decentralised finance (DeFi) and stablecoins.

This evolution shows long-term adoption is increasingly driven by innovation and functionality rather than short-term macroeconomic conditions. DeFi lending protocols are capturing record levels of capital, while stablecoins are redefining the role of digital dollars by combining stability with yield – together laying the foundations for the next phase of crypto’s growth.

Bitcoin consolidates while altcoins rise

 Bitcoin’s dominance dipped to 57.3% in August as capital rotated into alternative assets. Ethereum gained 18.6%, buoyed by record ETF inflows and significant corporate treasury purchases, while Solana (+15.5%) and Chainlink (+35.9%) also posted strong gains on the back of ecosystem upgrades and institutional adoption.

“Bitcoin remains foundational, but the spotlight is shifting,” said Matt Poblocki, General Manager of Binance Australia & New Zealand. “Investors are increasingly drawn to altcoins that enable real-world applications, whether that’s Ethereum staking yields, Solana’s network upgrades, or Chainlink’s role in tokenising assets. It’s a sign of a maturing ecosystem.”

What to expect in a falling interest rate environment

Expectations of a potential Fed rate cut dominated market discussion in August, with many anticipating rate cuts to result in a bullish outcome for Bitcoin. Yet Binance analysis shows the historical correlation between rate cuts and Bitcoin’s price is weak and highly volatile.

Over the past two years, BTC’s price has been influenced more by institutional adoption, political catalysts, and structural market changes than by central bank decisions.

“The idea that rate cuts automatically drive Bitcoin higher oversimplifies today’s reality,” Mr Poblocki said. “The market is becoming more sophisticated, and investors are looking beyond simple one-to-one correlations. What’s really moving capital now are innovations across altcoins, DeFi, and stablecoins.”

DeFi lending and stablecoins surge

The sector’s growing complexity was underscored by rapid growth in DeFi lending and stablecoins. Total value locked (TVL) in DeFi protocols has risen 72% this year, with Maple expanding 586% and Euler soaring 1,466% in August alone – evidence of capital being deployed into productive, yield-generating assets.

Stablecoins are also taking centre stage. Ethena’s USDe supply grew 43.5% in August to US$12.2 billion, making it the fastest stablecoin to surpass US$10B. Unlike purely transactional stablecoins such as USDT or USDC, USDe’s yield-bearing design positions it as both a store of value and an income-generating asset. With USDe now accounting for more than 4% of the US$280B stablecoin market – and on-chain flows rivaling those of BTC and ETH ETFs – stablecoins are emerging as an engine of growth, broadening adoption and reshaping market liquidity.

“The surge in DeFi lending and the rise of yield-bearing assets like USDe prove that crypto is building a new, more efficient financial infrastructure,” Mr Poblocki noted. “Investors are seeking returns and new ways to generate value within the ecosystem. This growth confirms that the demand for productive assets is a durable, long-term trend.”

Australian investors embrace diversification

Locally, Ethereum retained its position as the most-traded coin on Binance Australia for the second straight month, with Chainlink breaking into the Top 10 after climbing five places.

The recent Binance Australia user survey of 1,900 Australians found that nearly nine in ten (86.1%) already hold at least one other crypto asset outside of Bitcoin, and more than half (57.8%) plan to add to their altcoin portfolios in the next six months.

“Australian investors are moving with purpose, backing projects that deliver real innovation and utility,” Mr Poblocki said. “It’s a very positive sign of a healthy, maturing local market that is more focused on diversification than ever before.”

Read the report.

The post Market maturity emerges as investors moves lay foundation for next phase of crypto growth appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Matt Poblocki

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume^[1], has appointed fintech leader Matt Poblocki as General Manager of Binance Australia and New Zealand.

With nearly two decades of experience in fintech, regulatory, and commercial business strategy, Mr Poblocki has held senior executive roles at some of the world’s most recognised digital businesses, including PayPal, Afterpay, eBay and others. He has also worked with start-ups and scale-ups in commercial, legal and regulatory, and business head roles across international markets.

With more than one million Australian users and nearly one in three Australians having owned cryptocurrency^[2], Australia is becoming one of the most advanced and regulation-forward digital asset markets globally. Mr Poblocki brings a strong track record in helping to scale fintechs globally, further supporting Binance’s continued growth ambitions across Australia and New Zealand.

“Few markets are as digitally capable and commercially dynamic as Australia. With a strong ecosystem, a progressive policy environment, and millions of Australians already engaging with crypto, we have a real opportunity to lead responsibly on the global stage,” said Mr Poblocki.

“Australia and New Zealand are renowned globally as early and fast adopters of innovative technology. This next wave of Web3 and blockchain is well and truly upon us. I’m excited to help shape the next chapter of growth and innovation for digital assets in Australia and New Zealand, and energised by the opportunity to pair Binance’s global expertise with local momentum to build a trusted future for crypto in our region.”

Respected for his strategic leadership in driving business growth and expansion, Mr Poblocki was an executive leader contributing to the early establishment and growth of the likes of eBay and PayPal.

At PayPal, Mr Poblocki oversaw legal affairs in Australia and New Zealand before heading international legal and regulatory expansion across 170 markets from PayPal’s International Headquarters in Singapore. He then joined Afterpay to drive its expansion plans across Asia, before returning to Australia, where his passion for innovative business models saw him co-found startups and advise scale-ups on expansion both into and from Australia, including from international markets.

Throughout his career, Mr Poblocki has contributed to the shaping of Australia’s fintech, payments and commercial ecosystem. His combined experience in commercial strategy and government, regulatory and policy environments give him a unique blend of business acumen. He has worked with government and regulators, including APRA, RBA, AUSTRAC and ACCC, both domestically and internationally.

“Our next chapter will be about showing what responsible growth really looks like,” said Mr Poblocki. “That means combining commercial strategy and innovative product offerings with proactive engagement with regulators, robust compliance, and supporting everyday Australians with safe access to the digital asset economy. Regulation and innovation don’t have to be at odds. In fact, they must go hand in hand if we want to build a future that all Australians want to be part of.”

Binance CEO Richard Teng welcomed the appointment, noting Mr Poblocki’s combination of international legal expertise and commercial acumen.

“Matt brings an exceptional track record of scaling some of the most recognisable fintech brands across complex, highly regulated markets,” said Mr Teng. “He brings a unique ability to connect governance leadership with commercial strategy. His appointment reinforces our commitment to the Australian and New Zealand markets and to building a sustainable digital asset ecosystem for the long term.”

———-

Notes:
[1] https://coinmarketcap.com/exchanges/binance/
[2] https://www.independentreserve.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IRCI-Australia-2025-web.pdf

The post Matt Poblocki appointed General Manager for Binance Australia & New Zealand appeared first on AdviserVoice.