Crypto Adoption Could Rise as Wealth Transfers to Younger Generations

Crypto mass adoption could just be a matter of time, as older, crypto-averse generations eventually pass their wealth to their descendants, according to an industry executive. 

During an episode of the Milk Road show on Tuesday, Zac Prince, the head of Galaxy Digital’s banking venture, Galaxy One, predicted that as older people pass away and younger generations inherit assets, some of it could make its way into crypto.

“I see a lot of stuff about how like younger people are getting screwed because older people are holding all the money,” he said, adding that a wealth transfer will eventually start, and when it does, “the preferences of younger folks are going to matter more.”

Investment bank UBS estimated in its 2025 global wealth report that Americans hold a combined $163 trillion in wealth, with baby boomers, people born from 1946 to 1964, accounting for more than half, with $83.3 trillion in assets.

A Q4 State of Crypto report from exchange Coinbase found that younger investors are more likely to hold crypto over older counterparts. Around 25% younger traders said they held non‑traditional assets such as crypto, derivatives, and private investments, three times the 8% reported by older investors.

A tech-savvy generation with money could work for crypto

Another aspect likely to be a boon for the industry is younger generations’ affinity with technology compared to older ones, Prince speculated.

New advances with apps that offer near-instant trading and “multiple kinds of products in one place, really intuitive user interface versus the traditional — you have to pick up a phone and call your broker to or schedule a meeting with your financial adviser to get anything done. I think those trends are in our favor,” he added.

Related: Growing dissatisfaction among young people to drive BTC price: Analyst

Boomers might already be warming up to crypto

However, boomers and older investors might already be dipping their toes into crypto. A survey from Australian exchange CoinSpot, released in April last year, found that 38.5% of Australians aged over 60 reported being open to investing in crypto in the future, close to the national average of 37.8%.

A 2024 survey from Australian exchange, Independent Reserve, found higher rates of crypto ownership among boomers, with the over-65 age group tripling to 6% between 2019 and 2024.

Magazine: Older investors are risking everything for a crypto-funded retirement