ASIA: Asia’s wealthy investors seek more crypto in portfolios

Wealthy Asian families and family offices are ramping up their cryptocurrency investments, driven by the bullishness around digital assets, increased mainstream adoption and favourable regulatory developments in key markets.

Wealth managers said they are receiving more enquiries, cryptocurrency exchanges have seen trading volumes surge and crypto funds are in huge demand as high-net-worth Asian investors seek more exposure.

“We raised over $100 million in just a few months, and the response from LPs has been encouraging,” said Jason Huang, founder of NextGen Digital Venture, referring to Limited Partners that represent high net-worth individuals.

Huang launched a new long-short crypto equity fund, the Next Generation Fund II, in Singapore in late May, after winding down his first fund last year, which returned 375% in less than two years.

“Our investors – mainly family offices and internet/fintech entrepreneurs, recognise the growing role of digital assets in diversified portfolios,” he said.

Swiss investment bank UBS said some overseas Chinese family offices plan to raise their crypto exposure to around 5% of their portfolios.

“Many second- and third-generation individuals of family offices are starting to learn about and participate in virtual currencies,” said Lu Zijie, head of wealth management at UBS China.

The surging interest comes on the back of strong cryptocurrency returns and favourable regulatory developments in the

United States under President Donald Trump, such as the recently approved GENIUS Act.

Bitcoin prices have been hitting record highs this month, surpassing $124,000.

Hong Kong’s recent passage of its stablecoin legislation has also fuelled a wave of crypto enthusiasm.

“The momentum has definitely built, and I think it’s a function of just general maturity of the asset class,” said Saad Ahmed, head of Asia Pacific at crypto exchange Gemini.

Wealth managers said the mindset among Asian clients has changed from merely wanting to have a small allocation to digital currencies a few years ago to now embracing it as a must-have in portfolios and exploring tools to optimise returns.
64-year-old Ma Guixi had her home destroyed by floods that devastated northern China last month.

“Last year, they (family offices) started to dip their feet into bitcoin ETFs…now they have begun to learn the difference of holding a token directly,” said Zann Kwan, chief investment officer at Singapore-based Revo Digital Family Office.

Lighthouse Canton, a Singapore-based wealth manager, said some more sophisticated family offices have started adopting market-neutral strategies, such as basis trades and arbitrage.

Giselle Lai, associate investment director for digital assets at Fidelity International, said investors are increasingly treating bitcoin as a “portfolio diversifier” to hedge macro uncertainties, given its low correlation with stocks and bonds.
Cryptocurrency exchanges have also benefitted from increased trading demand.

The number of registered users at Hong Kong’s HashKey Exchange surged 85% year-on-year by August 2025, the firm said.

31 January 2024

UK: Britain grants long-term market access for EU investment funds

Britain said on Tuesday it would grant long-term market access for EU based investment and money market funds used by UK investors, and without new costly requirements such as mandatory valuation assessments. 

Read More
19 March 2024

EU: New EU rules toothless against tax avoidance by multinationals

The EU and OECD have jointly developed rules to prevent companies from exploiting differences in national legislation for financial gain. According to a new thesis at Uppsala University, however, companies

Read More
12 August 2024

IRELAND: Ireland “disagrees profoundly” with EU on Apple tax bill

Ireland disagrees profoundly with the European Commission’s ruling against its tax dealings with Apple Inc, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said on Tuesday ahead of seeking cabinet approval to

Read More
26 April 2025

UK: Spring Statement 2025: tax anti-avoidance rules with criminal sanction target staffing supply chain

The UK chancellor, Rachel Reeves, in her spring statement in March outlined the government’s plans to introduce further measures designed to close the “tax gap” – the difference

Read More