TL;DR
- European respondents in an OKX survey ranked crypto above retirement accounts as a symbol of lasting wealth, with 19% choosing digital assets versus 8% selecting retirement plans.
- The survey covered 1,932 crypto-experienced adults across the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland, limiting broader population-level conclusions.
- Younger investors showed stronger long-term conviction, while property remained the leading symbol of lasting wealth and crypto adoption expectations varied by age.
OKX found that European respondents ranked crypto above retirement accounts as a symbol of lasting wealth, with 19% selecting digital assets compared with 8% choosing retirement plans. The official survey, published October 29, examined how investors view long-term financial security. The findings add another dimension to the role of the OKX exchange in measuring crypto sentiment, although the sample consisted entirely of people who had previously invested in cryptocurrency.
European Crypto Investors Show Stronger Long-Term Wealth Preferences
The survey covered 1,932 adults aged 18 to 88 across the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland, and was conducted by Pollfish from October 14 to October 18. Its results describe crypto-experienced investors rather than the general population, an important limitation when interpreting the European preference. Property remained the strongest overall answer, selected by 34% of respondents as the asset most associated with lasting wealth.
Regional differences were pronounced. European participants placed crypto ahead of retirement accounts, while U.S. respondents reversed that order. In the United States, 21% selected retirement accounts and 12% chose crypto. The contrast comes as European investors increasingly weigh crypto access alongside conventional financial services, but the OKX survey does not establish that respondents are replacing pensions or property with digital assets.
Age produced another clear divide. Nearly two in three investors under 45 expected to increase their crypto allocation during the next five years, while more than eight in ten in that age group considered crypto at least somewhat important for building generational wealth. Across all ages, 51% expected to increase their allocation, 34% planned to keep it roughly unchanged and 13% expected to reduce or exit. Separate European crypto spending patterns provide broader context for how digital assets are entering everyday financial behavior.
The survey also found crypto is becoming part of long-term planning without displacing traditional assets altogether. About one-third of respondents viewed crypto wealth as equally legitimate as wealth built through stocks or real estate, while property remained the dominant symbol of durable wealth. OKX framed the results as evidence that digital assets are entering broader wealth strategies. The company’s expanding regulated payments presence in Europe provides relevant market context, but the survey itself measures attitudes, not realized portfolio shifts. Its strongest signal is therefore changing perception, particularly among younger and European crypto investors across the surveyed markets over time.
