A CoinShares survey found that many European wealth advisors cannot see much of their clients’ cryptocurrency holdings due to restrictive firm policies. The report says MiCA implementation and wider access to regulated crypto investment products could improve digital asset oversight across Europe.
European wealth managers are discovering that many clients already own digital assets, yet a large share of those holdings remains outside the advisory relationship. A new CoinShares survey found that internal company policies continue to limit advisors’ ability to discuss or manage cryptocurrency investments.
The survey covered 261 wealth management professionals in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom during the first quarter of 2026. According to the findings, advisors expect regulatory changes and broader access to regulated investment products to improve oversight in the coming months.
One in four advisors report hidden crypto exposure
CoinShares described the issue as a “management gap,” referring to digital assets that clients own but advisors cannot monitor or include in portfolio planning. Across Europe, 25% of advisors said that more than half of their clients’ cryptocurrency holdings remain outside their visibility.
The situation appeared more pronounced in the United Kingdom. According to the survey, 52% of UK wealth advisors reported that most of their clients’ digital asset exposure sits beyond their oversight. CoinShares said this reflects existing client behavior rather than future investment plans, with many investors already building crypto positions independently.
Jean-Marie Mognetti, Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of CoinShares, said, “The data is uncomfortable, so let us state it plainly. Across Europe, one in four wealth managers cannot see the majority of their clients’ digital assets. In the UK, it is more than one in two.” He added, “The capital has already been allocated. The people entrusted with managing it simply cannot see it.”
Firm policies remain the main barrier
Meanwhile, the survey found that company policy is the primary factor limiting advisor participation in digital assets. About 61% of respondents work at firms that either restrict cryptocurrency activity or provide no clear guidance on how advisors should handle client exposure.
According to CoinShares, advisors working in firms with supportive digital asset policies are 4.5 times more likely to recommend crypto investments than those employed by firms with restrictive policies. Active recommendations reached 48% in supportive firms but fell to only 1% where restrictions were in place.
Moreover, the report found that knowledge alone was not the main issue. More than three-quarters of advisors who considered themselves insufficiently informed worked at firms that offered little or no support for digital asset engagement. CoinShares said many advisors were never trained, as their firms had not adopted a formal approach to cryptocurrencies.
Regulation and ETPs may narrow the gap
When asked what would increase confidence in recommending digital assets, respondents pointed to regulatory progress rather than education. Around 45% selected broader regulatory recognition of cryptocurrencies as the most important factor, while 43% chose greater access to exchange-traded products.
By comparison, only 9% considered educational tools for clients to be a leading requirement. According to the survey, advisors are looking for regulated investment structures that can fit within existing portfolio management frameworks.
CoinShares expects regulatory developments to improve advisor participation. The company said the full implementation of the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework in July 2026 and wider availability of regulated cryptocurrency investment products could reduce the management gap across Europe.
Separately, institutional filings during the first quarter of 2026 showed that investors submitting 13F reports reduced their holdings of U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds by 17%. Even so, the CoinShares survey suggests that client demand for digital assets continues across European markets, with many investments remaining outside traditional wealth management relationships.
Disclaimer : Crypto News India does not recommend that any cryptocurrency should be bought, sold, or held by you. Do conduct your own due diligence and consult your financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
