Nexo’s “The Future of Digital Wealth 2026” report, published on September 23, 2026, argues that wealthy investors are not held back primarily by skepticism about crypto, but by operational friction such as security, fees, and platform usability. The study surveyed 1,000 affluent investors in the United States, United Kingdom, and Argentina during February and March 2026, using the research platform Attest. Participants were screened to represent roughly the top 25% to 30% of each market by investable wealth, with thresholds of at least $100,000 in liquid assets in the US and UK, and $40,000 in Argentina.
The report introduces the Crypto Integration Index (CII), a 1-to-10 measure combining five equally weighted factors: portfolio allocation, holding horizon, retirement integration, substitution of traditional assets, and risk perception. Although about 67% of respondents already hold crypto, the average CII score was only 4.83. Just 4.7% achieved a score of 7 or higher, which Nexo classifies as “Structurally Integrated” — meaning crypto positions have generally been held longer, replaced part of a traditional asset allocation, and become part of long-term financial planning.
Conviction appears stronger than integration. Just under 20% of surveyed investors said they expect crypto to become their primary personal wealth driver over the next decade, ahead of salary, equities, and real estate. Nexo analyst Iliya Kalchev said risk perception barely separates investors who have built real wealth with crypto from those who have not. “What actually divides them is whether they’ve substituted crypto for a traditional asset and folded it into retirement planning,” Kalchev said.
Among the most integrated investors — those with CII scores of 7 or above — 36% cited security concerns as a source of friction, 34% pointed to high fees, and 28% highlighted platform complexity. Neil Steinhardt, chief operating officer of Nexo US, said investors who have moved beyond risk concerns are left dealing with security, fees, and platform usability. “That’s the gap between owning crypto and actually building wealth with it,” Steinhardt said.
Regional results showed a gap between ownership and integration. Argentina recorded the highest ownership rate at 74% but the lowest average CII score at 4.62. The US had the lowest ownership rate at 62% but the highest integration score at 5.07. The UK reported 65% ownership and a CII score of 4.75. By age, integration was deepest among investors 35–44, with 28% treating crypto as a core retirement asset. Respondents aged 18–25 had the highest ownership at more than 90%, but only 2% reported a holding horizon of more than 10 years.
The research follows Nexo’s return to the US market in February 2026 with investment, trading, and crypto-backed credit products, after a $45 million settlement with US regulators over its Earn Interest Product. Around that time, CryptoQuant data cited by the company showed approximately $863 million in loans issued in the preceding year. Nexo has also expanded in Argentina, appointing Andres Ondarra as general manager and launching a crypto card in July that allows eligible clients to spend in Argentine pesos and US dollars using digital assets. The company said the CII is intended as a descriptive measure of reported investor behavior, not a sign that a higher score represents a better investment strategy.
The report also referenced broader wealth industry signals, including a Bitwise poll showing 60% of wealth managers planned crypto allocations within a year, a Coinbase/EY survey where 73% of institutional investors planned higher digital asset allocations in 2026, and Henley & Partners data estimating 742 million global crypto owners. Nexo disclosed its commercial interest in digital asset adoption and cautioned that the findings apply only to the surveyed affluent group, not the general population.
