CoinShares survey: Bitcoin leads growth outlook as Ethereum sentiment improves - Crypto Briefing
Fund managers overseeing $642 billion increased their crypto allocations to 1.3% in October 2026, with Bitcoin maintaining its position as the top growth prospect.
CoinShares' latest fund manager survey, published November 10, 2026, reveals that institutional investors continue to favor Bitcoin for growth potential while showing improved sentiment toward Ethereum and Solana. The poll surveyed 28 investors managing approximately $642 billion in assets, with their average digital asset allocation rising to 1.3% from 1.2% in July 2026.
Diversification drives investment
The most significant finding is the shift in investment motives, with diversification now cited by 40% of respondents as the primary reason for investing in crypto. This represents a notable change from previous quarters where speculation played a larger role. Speculative motives now rank fifth at less than 9% of responses.
The survey attributes the small rise in average allocation to this diversification focus rather than to speculative appetite.
New tokens gain traction
While Bitcoin and Ethereum together accounted for 47% of portfolio positioning, the survey shows growing interest in newer tokens. Hyperliquid, SUI, Uniswap, NEAR, Aave and Chainlink all saw increased attention as investors pulled back from multi-asset strategies and older altcoins. Uniswap and Aave are decentralized finance protocols, Chainlink provides external data to blockchains, while NEAR and SUI are competing general-purpose networks.
Institutional crypto exposure remains modest
Despite the increase, institutional crypto exposure remains relatively small, with an average allocation of just 1.3% indicating that the vast majority of portfolios still consist of traditional assets. The preference for specific assets over broad baskets suggests managers are becoming more selective in their crypto investments.
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