Millennial Crypto Owners Lead Schwab’s Buying Plans
Charles Schwab’s 2026 Modern Wealth Survey found that 64% of Millennial crypto owners plan to increase their holdings over the next 12 months. Crypto ranked ahead of ETFs (56%), stocks (52%), bonds (42%) and mutual funds (41%) among assets respondents planned to buy. The survey polled 2,000 Americans aged 21 to 75 between August 24 and September 17, 2026.
Crypto ownership stood at 33% among Millennials, compared with 22% for Gen Z and 8% for Baby Boomers. More than 40% of Americans familiar with crypto said they were interested in directly owning Bitcoin or Ethereum.
The findings point to continued interest in crypto among existing Millennial holders, but they measure stated intentions—not completed purchases. They therefore indicate investor sentiment rather than a confirmed increase in demand or a direct market catalyst.
Neutral
The survey is modestly supportive of crypto sentiment: 64% of Millennial crypto owners say they plan to add to their holdings, and crypto ranks ahead of traditional assets on their stated buying lists. However, the result is not a direct trading signal. It records intentions among people who already own crypto, rather than actual purchases, and provides no information about the amount or timing of any planned investment.
In the short term, the findings could attract attention to retail demand and reinforce positive narratives around Bitcoin and Ethereum ownership. But survey headlines alone are unlikely to establish a sustained price trend. Traders would still look for confirmation from spot-market volume, exchange flows, derivatives positioning and broader risk appetite. Without that confirmation, any immediate effect is more likely to be sentiment-driven than a material change in market stability.
Over the longer term, the reported ownership and purchase intentions may support the view that crypto is becoming a more established part of some investors’ portfolios. Similar surveys about interest in crypto products, including ETFs, have helped frame adoption narratives, but stated interest does not always translate into sustained inflows. The lower reported ownership among Gen Z than among Millennials also cautions against assuming adoption will rise uniformly across younger generations. Overall, the survey is a positive sentiment data point, but its limited scope and lack of transaction data make a neutral market-impact classification appropriate.