If you are wondering where to invest your money now, Gen Z are actively exploring new 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, more than 1.2 lakh new investors entered the crypto space between January and June 2026, with Gen Z accounting for around 50% of new registrations. The findings are part of its report, “The State of Crypto in India: H1 2026 Review & H2 Outlook.”
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 investors held crypto without making any trades during H1 2026.
The report also mentioned that Indian investors continued to accumulate crypto, with buying activity consistently exceeding selling. Investors bought around 7% more crypto than they sold over the six-month period.
According to Rahul Pagidipati, Chief Executive Officer, ZebPay, the first half of 2026 highlighted the growing maturity of the global digital asset ecosystem. “In India, investors are demonstrating a more informed and disciplined approach, focusing on portfolio diversification and long-term wealth creation rather than short-term trends alone,” he added.
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 or Tier-1 cities accounted for 38% of new registrations during the January to June 2026 period. This category includes Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and West Bengal.
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.
