Bitcoin adoption seen accelerating via U.S. advisory, brokerage and retirement accounts

Bitcoin is increasingly likely to spread to the public through advisory accounts, brokerage accounts and retirement products rather than cryptocurrency trading platforms.

On Aug. 13, blockchain media outlet CryptoSlate reported that asset manager Grayscale sees bitcoin adoption broadening within traditional finance distribution channels. It said millions of retail investors could end up encountering bitcoin within existing investment accounts.

The key is a shift in access. Instead of individuals setting up separate wallets and using exchanges, portfolios run by wealth managers are increasingly including small bitcoin allocations, or investors are holding exchange-traded products (ETPs) within brokerage accounts.

The barrier in advisory channels is also falling. A 2026 survey by Bitwise and VettaFi found 42 percent of advisers could buy cryptocurrency in client accounts. That is up from 35 percent in 2024 and 19 percent in 2023. In 2025, 32 percent of advisers said they invested client money in cryptocurrency. Among advisers already using cryptocurrency, 64 percent had allocated more than 2 percent of client portfolios to it, up from 51 percent in the previous survey.

One factor behind the trend was the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's approval in January 2024 for listing and trading spot bitcoin ETPs. The product offered a structure suited to existing brokerage accounts and portfolio management systems. It allowed advisers and brokers to add bitcoin exposure in a way similar to stocks, bonds and funds.