Crypto Skepticism Prevails: JPMorgan Report Reveals 89% of Family Offices Avoid Digital Assets

In a striking contrast to the fervor often surrounding digital assets, the world's wealthiest families are largely steering clear of cryptocurrency investments. According to JPMorgan Private Bank's 2026 Global Family Office Report, a decisive 89% of family offices hold no exposure to cryptocurrencies in their portfolios.

The report, based on interviews with 333 family offices across 30 countries with an average net worth of $1.6 billion, reveals a broader trend of caution toward non-traditional hedges. Even gold, a classic safe-haven asset, is absent from 72% of family office portfolios. This conservative stance persists despite the report's own highlighting of elevated geopolitical risks that typically drive interest in alternative assets.

"This report is more than a survey; it's the result of our collaboration with some of the world's most sophisticated family offices," said Natacha Minnit, Global Co-Head of the Family Office Practice at JPMorgan Private Bank.

The findings come in the wake of recent volatility in digital asset markets, underscoring the risk-averse nature of these multi-generational wealth managers. Family offices, on average, allocate roughly 75% of assets to a mix of public equities and alternative investments, with U.S. large-cap stocks and drawdown funds leading their public and private holdings, respectively.

"Despite the headlines and hype, the vast majority of family offices remain on the sidelines," the report notes, mirroring an internal debate at JPMorgan about the appropriate role and allocation size for such volatile assets in a balanced portfolio.

Looking forward, only 17% of respondents identified crypto and digital assets as a future investment priority. This pales in comparison to artificial intelligence, which 65% of families flagged as a key thematic focus for coming allocations.

Analyst & Investor Commentary:

"This data confirms what we see on the ground," says Michael Thorne, a senior portfolio manager at legacy wealth firm Sterling Advisory. "For families managing century-long timelines, the speculative noise and regulatory uncertainty around crypto are clear deterrents. Their capital preservation mandate is paramount."

"It's a classic case of institutional inertia," retorts Alex Rivera, founder of the digital asset fund NexTech Ventures. "These offices are clinging to a 20th-century playbook while missing a foundational shift. Their 89% avoidance rate will be a case study in missed opportunity. They're effectively outsourcing innovation finance to venture capital."

"The contrast with AI is telling," observes Priya Chen, a professor of financial technology at Kingsford University. "AI is perceived as a productivity-enhancing tool with tangible enterprise use cases. Crypto, for many, remains an asset class in search of a universally accepted problem to solve, beyond speculation. The allocation disparity reflects that perceived utility gap."