45% of young investors hold cryptocurrencies: When homeownership seems out of reach, digital assets become the new "wealth channel"?

Latest surveys show that as housing costs soar and traditional wealth accumulation pathways are blocked, cryptocurrencies are becoming a key choice for young investors in the United States. A joint survey by leading US-based CEX and Ipsos indicates that among 4,350 surveyed American adults, 45% of Generation Z and millennial investors hold cryptocurrencies, compared to only 18% among older investors, with a generational gap of 27 percentage points.

The results reflect a clear trend: young people are systematically shifting toward digital assets. 73% of young respondents believe that achieving wealth growth through traditional means (such as homeownership and long-term stock investments) has become more difficult, compared to 57% among older groups. The ongoing decline in housing affordability, high student loan debt, and wages that fail to keep pace with inflation are continuously squeezing the wealth-building opportunities for young people.

In terms of investment structure, the differences between young and older generations are even more pronounced. While both groups have similar proportions of stock holdings, young investors typically allocate about 25% of their portfolios to non-traditional assets such as cryptocurrencies, derivatives, and NFTs, which is three times higher than older investors. For them, crypto assets are no longer just a “side investment,” but a core part of their investment strategy. Nearly half of young investors are interested in participating in early-stage tokens or unlisted crypto projects, significantly higher than the older demographic.

This shift in preferences has already begun to impact the financial services industry. Research from Zerohash shows that 35% of high-income young investors have switched financial advisors solely because their previous advisors did not offer cryptocurrency-related services, with most transferring tens of thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, social media is replacing traditional advisors as the primary source of investment information for young people, with YouTube and “financial bloggers” gaining increasing influence.

Although overall societal risk awareness regarding cryptocurrencies is becoming more cautious, this trend is mainly concentrated among older populations. Young investors continue to drive the development of crypto derivatives, DeFi, prediction markets, and 24/7 trading. For them, cryptocurrencies are not just an asset class but an alternative solution to combat real-world wealth challenges. If financial platforms fail to meet this demand, they risk losing the long-term trust of the next generation of investors.