India’s Gen Z is Using Crypto as an Entry Point Into Investing, WazirX Data Shows

India’s Gen Z is entering financial markets earlier, and for many young investors, cryptocurrency is becoming the first step rather than an addition to an existing portfolio.

According to WazirX, 44.4% of Gen Z users on the platform began their investment journey through crypto. The median age of these investors is 25, while Gen Z accounted for 72% of all new investors on WazirX in the first half of 2026 and 32.1% of active traders.

Growth is Coming From Beyond Metro Cities

The trend is not limited to India’s largest financial centres. Nearly 80% of WazirX’s Gen Z users come from outside the country’s top 10 cities. Mumbai and Delhi still have the highest individual concentration, but Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are becoming increasingly important sources of participation.

The broader WazirX user base shows a similar pattern. According to a July report from the exchange, more than 82% of its users came from non-metro cities.

Gen Z Portfolios are More Diversified Than Expected

WazirX data also challenges the idea that younger crypto investors are focused mainly on speculative tokens.

Gen Z users allocate about 25% of their portfolios to established “blue-chip” cryptocurrencies and 16% to memecoins. The remaining 59% is allocated to utility-focused categories such as DeFi, Layer-2 ecosystems and payment tokens.

That suggests most holdings are concentrated in areas linked to network use and longer-term adoption rather than short-term speculation alone.

Young Investors are Buying During Market Weakness

Risk behaviour is another notable trend. About 52.8% of Gen Z investors buy during mild market corrections, while 43.7% continue buying during some of the market’s worst trading days. WazirX said the average investment size also remains relatively stable during major declines compared with normal conditions.

This suggests that some young investors are increasingly treating corrections as accumulation opportunities instead of automatically exiting the market.

Also Read: Gen Z Makes Up 61% of New India Crypto Futures Traders, Study Finds

Income and Occupation Show Early Participation

Nearly 79.6% of Gen Z users earn between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh annually. Students account for 40% of the group, followed by salaried professionals at 33% and self-employed users at 27%.

“Gen Z is proving that wealth creation isn’t about where you come from or how much you start with, but finding the right opportunities, doing your research, and starting early,” WazirX founder Nischal Shetty said.

The data suggests crypto is becoming part of financial behaviour much earlier in the lives of young Indians, especially outside traditional metropolitan investing hubs.