Bitget Research: Investors are increasingly allocating capital across assets.

Key points:

• Cryptocurrencies remain the primary asset class for 86% of retail investors.
• Analysts say the crypto market is gradually converging with the traditional financial system.

Retail investors in 2026 have increasingly started reallocating capital across cryptocurrencies, equities, commodities, and AI-driven investment instruments, according to the Bitget User Asset Allocation Report 2026 published by the crypto exchange.

The study is based on an analysis of platform trading activity and a survey of more than 6,000 users worldwide. According to the report, cryptocurrencies continue to dominate retail portfolios, with digital assets held by 86% of respondents. At the same time, portfolios are becoming more diversified as interest in traditional financial instruments grows.

The company noted that at the beginning of the first quarter, crypto assets accounted for nearly all trading volume on the platform. However, by March, crypto’s share had stabilized within the 60%–80% range amid a noticeable increase in trading activity across other asset classes. Traditional assets posted the strongest growth, particularly gold, whose share of trading activity rose from negligible levels to 20%–40%.

Traditional Assets Continue Gaining Share in Crypto Investors’ Portfolios in 2026

According to the report, 52% of platform users now combine cryptocurrency and stock investments, while 35% hold gold and other precious metals. As a result, commodities became the most widely held non-crypto asset category among surveyed investors.

At the same time, investor interest in artificial intelligence continues to accelerate. AI and commodities emerged as the two leading investment themes users most frequently identified as promising opportunities in 2026.

The diversification trend has been especially pronounced among high-net-worth platform clients. Bitget reported that the average user return in 2025 reached 13%, while around 6% of VIP clients achieved annual returns ranging from 51% to 100%. More than 74% of affluent investors said they plan to expand allocations simultaneously across crypto assets, equities, and commodities to improve risk management and capital distribution flexibility.

The report also highlighted significant regional differences in investor behavior. In East Asia, the main driver behind USDT adoption was the ability to avoid currency conversion, while investors in Southeast Asia most frequently cited access to leveraged trading as a key advantage. In Latin America, protection against inflation and local currency devaluation remained the primary reason for holding both cryptocurrencies and traditional assets.

Another major growth area was the adoption of AI tools in investment activities. According to the study, 51% of users already utilize artificial intelligence solutions to support trading and investment decisions. The company noted that AI services are being used to analyze corporate earnings reports, assess macroeconomic factors, track commodity market trends, and evaluate on-chain data.

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen stated that retail investor behavior is becoming increasingly influenced by global macroeconomic signals and cross-market capital flows. She commented:

“Users are increasingly reallocating capital across different asset classes based on liquidity, volatility, and access to global markets. Investors expect unified infrastructure that can efficiently support cryptocurrencies, equities, commodities, and currency instruments simultaneously.”

According to Chen, growing interest in AI, equities, and commodities reflects a shift away from highly specialized crypto-only strategies toward fully diversified multi-asset capital management. She added:

“The market is gradually moving toward a model where investors build portfolios not around a single asset class, but around global economic trends, liquidity allocation, and macroeconomic expectations.”

The report also emphasized rising demand for the Universal Exchange model, which would integrate multiple asset classes within a single platform. Among the key features users want are stablecoin settlements, seamless transitions between cryptocurrencies, equities, forex, and commodities, as well as centralized liquidity, transparent proof-of-reserves systems, and AI-powered decision-making tools.

According to analysts, the ongoing transformation in investor behavior points to the gradual convergence of the cryptocurrency market with the traditional financial system, where digital assets are increasingly becoming part of broader multi-asset portfolio strategies.