Financial advisors remain interested in cryptocurrencies, but their focus has shifted from Bitcoin to stablecoins and tokenized assets. This was stated by Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan in a recent report.

"This is the most important takeaway. Throughout history, new cycles of growth in the crypto market have been based on a combination of breakthrough products and new types of investors," he added. 

As examples, Hougan cited previous periods of market corrections:

  • 2014 — the launch of Ethereum and the emergence of the first retail investors;
  • 2018 — the DeFi summer and the entry of COVID-19 era investors ready to spend new stimulus payments;
  • 2022 — progress in Bitcoin ETF development, influx of large retail investors and hedge funds.

According to the executive, the market's recovery from the prolonged correction of 2026 should be driven by the growing popularity of new products like stablecoins, RWA, decentralized perpetual futures, and other products with real value. 

However, for a real acceleration, widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies by a new class of investors—financial advisors and institutions—is necessary, many of whom still face barriers to accessing cryptocurrencies, Hougan believes.

He suggested that if financial advisors become the next major source of capital inflow into the industry, the initial investments may not go into Bitcoin but rather into instruments related to stablecoins and tokenization.

Among the projects and companies that interest advisors, the expert listed Ethereum, Solana, Canton, Chainlink, Avalanche, Hyperliquid, Figure, Circle, and Coinbase.

Hougan estimates that financial advisors collectively manage assets exceeding $175 trillion. Moreover, their "understanding of the potential of cryptocurrency has become broader and more detailed than it was two years ago."

"It's hard not to hear someone like SEC Chair Paul Atkins, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, or BlackRock CEO Larry Fink talking about stablecoins and tokenization on CNBC. Investors want to be part of this process," emphasized the Bitwise leader.

It is worth noting that analysts at Wintermute have pointed out weak capital inflows into Bitcoin.