Despite this cautious outlook, most investors still plan to maintain or increase their cryptocurrency holdings.
Institutional investors are cautious about cryptocurrencies, although most plan to maintain or increase their holdings, according to Sygnum’s Future Finance 2025 report released Tuesday.
The survey of more than 1,000 investors in 43 countries found that sentiment turned neutral or bearish at the end of 2025, with many waiting for clearer rules and new market drivers before investing further. Yet 60% plan to increase their cryptocurrency holdings this year, while only 4% plan to reduce them.
More than 80% of respondents view Bitcoin (BTC) as a valuable cash reserve, and 70% say holding cash instead of Bitcoin could be a missed opportunity over the next five years. Bitcoin is trading at $105,600, up 1% on the day. Among high-net-worth investors, 91% view crypto as a hedge against the loss of value of money.
The report highlights that, for the first time, a majority of respondents (57%) cite diversification as their main objective, compared to 53% for short-term returns and 45% for macro hedging.
This shift further highlights how investors are treating digital assets as part of broader long-term portfolio strategies rather than short-term speculative bets.
Half of those surveyed also revealed that they already held stablecoins, and 70% would invest more in crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) if staking were allowed, according to the report. Currently, the broader stablecoin market has reached over $304 billion, a sharp rise from January’s $206 billion, according to data from DeFiLlama.
Lucas Schweiger, the author of the report, states that “digital assets and traditional finance are now more linked than ever by legislation, regulated derivatives, corporate demand, and exciting new trends in tokenization and stablecoin.”
Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed three major cryptocurrency bills: the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for American Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act, the Clarity Act, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act.
Schweiger said 2025 is shaping up to be a year of “measured risks, pending regulatory decisions and powerful demand catalysts,” with investors exercising more caution but remaining confident in the long-term outlook.
Sygnum highlighted that the biggest obstacles to investing in crypto remain unclear regulations and concerns over security and custody.
