Thinking about your next money move? Here’s how crypto is gaining traction among Gen Z investors
If you are wondering where to invest your money now, Gen Z are actively exploring other asset classes, with crypto emerging as an investment avenue that is gaining traction among younger investors.
According to ZebPay, one of India’s oldest Bitcoin exchanges, its “The State of Crypto in India: H1 2026 Review & H2 Outlook” report noted that more than 1.2 lakh new users were added during the January to June 2026 period, with Gen Z accounting for around 50% of new registrations.
Why is Gen Z emerging as a major crypto investor group?
The report describes Gen Z investors aged between 18 and 25 years as “the accumulator”, with their behaviour showing a strong preference for buying and holding crypto.
Gen Z investors recorded buy volumes nearly 10 times higher than their sell volumes. Solana emerged as their most preferred digital asset, while stablecoins were also among their preferred assets.
The report noted that this reflected “a preference for newer Layer-1 assets alongside stablecoin-based trading”.
This behaviour is different from the pattern seen among older investors. Those aged 26-35, described as “the balanced builder”, maintained portfolios centred on Bitcoin and Ethereum, with buying and selling activity remaining nearly even.
Investors aged 36-45 showed a stronger preference for Bitcoin and had selling activity outpacing buying by nearly 2x and were described as “the profit taker”.
Meanwhile, investors aged 45+ (the disciplined veteran) held the largest average portfolios and the highest blue-chip allocation, while recording the highest trading frequency.
Are crypto investors holding rather than constantly trading?
The data suggests that holding has become an important part of crypto participation. Around 63% of users held crypto without making any trades during H1 2026.
User engagement also appeared to matter. Those active throughout all six months generated around 21 times the trading volume of users active for only one month.
The report also mentioned that Indian investors continued to accumulate crypto, with buying activity consistently exceeding selling. Users bought around 7% more crypto than they sold over the six-month period.
Rahul Pagidipati, Chief Executive Officer, ZebPay, said, “Indian crypto investors are becoming increasingly informed, patient, and purposeful in their participation. Beyond trading and investing activities, we’re seeing greater engagement with a wider range of products and a strong focus on long-term financial goals.”
How is India’s crypto investor base changing?
According to the report, the investor base is also spreading beyond major cities. Together, Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets accounted for 62% of new registrations, with Tier-2 markets contributing 41% and Tier-3 markets another 21%.
However, metro and Tier-1 cities accounted for 38% of new registrations during the January to June 2026 period. This category includes Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
The report points to a wider spread of crypto participation across geographies and age groups, with younger participants showing a strong accumulation bias and investors adopting different approaches to asset selection and holding.
Disclaimer: This is purely for educational/informational purposes and should not be taken as any sort of investment advice. Always consult a SEBI-registered advisor before making any investment decisions.
