Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan has recently highlighted a growing trend of top financial advisors “allocating to cryptocurrency” in their portfolios.

Speaking at the Barron’s Advisor 100 Summit in Palm Beach, Florida, Hougan shared insights on how some of the “most powerful people” in the financial industry are beginning to embrace digital assets like Bitcoin.

Personal Crypto Investments Leading The Way

During his keynote speech, Hougan engaged the audience by asking how many attendees owned Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies in their portfolios. He noted that, while in previous years, only 10-20% of hands were raised, this year saw nearly 70% of attendees acknowledging personal crypto holdings.

This shift suggests that financial advisors are becoming increasingly familiar with and comfortable holding digital assets, signaling potential future adoption for client portfolios.

However, while many advisors at the summit reported holding crypto assets personally, far fewer indicated that they had allocated them to client portfolios.

Hougan pointed out that this is likely due to “restrictions” placed by broker-dealers, who have not yet allowed direct investment in spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). However, he noted that advisors tend to allocate to their accounts first, with client allocations following around six to twelve months later.

Notably, this trend suggests that as financial advisors gain more exposure to Bitcoin in their investments, it could pave the way for broader client adoption.

Hougan also highlighted other bullish market signals, including the US Fed’s recent interest rate cut and the approval of options on BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

According to the Bitwise Chief Investment Officer, these developments could lead to a more favorable environment for crypto investments in the financial advisory sector.

Impact Of Bitcoin ETFs And Broader Crypto Adoption

Elaborating on the discussion concerning the launch of several spot Bitcoin ETFs earlier this year, including Bitwise’s BITB product, Hougan disclosed that the approval of these ETFs marks a significant step in making digital assets “more accessible” to institutional investors and clients of financial advisors.

The Bitwise CIO believes that as major wirehouses like Morgan Stanley approve these ETFs for client portfolios, adopting Bitcoin and other digital assets will accelerate further.

According to Hougan, owning Bitcoin personally can be transformative for financial advisors. He explained that once advisors hold Bitcoin in their portfolios, they move from “skepticism to curiosity, and eventually, comfort.”

As more financial advisors develop personal connections with crypto assets, this familiarity may help ease the path for broader client adoption.