A new survey has revealed a significant disconnect between British wealth advisors and their clients’ cryptocurrency investments, highlighting a challenge that is becoming increasingly important as digital assets gain wider acceptance.
According to research conducted by CoinShares, 52% of UK wealth advisors say they cannot see more than half of their clients’ cryptocurrency holdings, making Britain the country with the largest crypto visibility gap among the European markets surveyed.
The survey questioned 261 wealth management professionals across the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. It found that while crypto ownership continues to spread among investors, many digital assets remain outside the formal advisory relationship.
CoinShares describes this phenomenon as a “management gap”—the portion of a client’s digital asset portfolio that is effectively invisible to their financial advisor.
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Across Europe, only 25% of advisors reported a management gap exceeding 50%, making the UK’s 52% figure particularly striking. The findings suggest that the issue is not a lack of client interest in discussing cryptocurrency. Instead, many advisors are prevented from doing so because of internal company policies.
The survey found that 61% of European advisors work at firms that either explicitly restrict digital asset investments or provide no clear guidance on how advisors should engage with clients regarding crypto assets. As a result, advisors often cannot incorporate cryptocurrencies into broader portfolio planning, even when clients already own them.
This lack of visibility creates several practical challenges. Financial advisors are responsible for helping clients maintain diversified portfolios, manage investment risk, optimize tax strategies, and prepare for long-term financial goals.
When a substantial portion of a client’s wealth is held in cryptocurrencies that the advisor cannot monitor, these responsibilities become far more difficult. A client who appears to have a balanced investment portfolio may, in reality, have significant exposure to highly volatile digital assets without their advisor’s knowledge.
CoinShares argues that this represents a structural problem rather than an educational one.
According to the firm’s research, advisors working at organizations with supportive digital asset policies are far more likely to discuss cryptocurrencies openly and integrate them into financial planning. Advisors employed by firms with restrictive policies are much more likely to experience large management gaps, regardless of their personal knowledge or willingness to advise on digital assets.
The rapid growth of cryptocurrency ownership further increases the urgency of addressing this issue. As more investors allocate part of their wealth to assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins, wealth managers risk providing incomplete financial advice if those holdings remain undisclosed.
Effective wealth management depends on having a complete picture of a client’s financial position, and hidden crypto assets can undermine asset allocation decisions, liquidity planning, and overall risk management. The survey also highlights the evolving role of financial advisors in a changing investment landscape.
Rather than ignoring cryptocurrencies, many industry observers believe advisors will increasingly need the tools, regulatory clarity, and institutional support to discuss digital assets alongside traditional investments. Improved internal policies and clearer compliance frameworks could help bridge the gap between client behavior and professional advice.
The CoinShares research paints a picture of an industry at a crossroads. With 52% of British wealth advisors reporting that they cannot see more than half of their clients’ cryptocurrency holdings, the UK currently leads Europe in this advisory blind spot.
As digital assets become a more permanent feature of modern investment portfolios, closing this visibility gap may become essential for delivering comprehensive and effective wealth management.