SMSFs pile into crypto for alternative asset exposure
Self-managed super funds are embracing crypto as an alternative asset, even as advisors stay cautious and regulators delay clear legislative guidance.
While institutional superannuation funds await legislation around digital assets, self-managed super fund (SMSF) trustees are diving into cryptocurrencies as an alternative asset class.
A recent survey by CoreData found 77% of financial advisors to SMSFs believe fewer than 5% of their clients hold crypto or crypto ETFs. But when investors were surveyed directly, 38% said they already hold crypto.
Kate Cooper, CEO of digital platform and crypto exchange OKX, said that mismatch reflects a lag in understanding around the mainstream adoption of crypto.
“The irony of it all is apparently 21% of the advisors themselves hold crypto,” she told Capital Brief. At 38%, SMSF crypto investors almost match the broader Australian population — though those holdings are not necessarily within the SMSF itself.
