Crypto's Pro Paradox: Finance Insiders See Less Risk, More Reward

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – April 09, 2026 – A landmark study is challenging long-held assumptions about cryptocurrency, revealing that finance professionals actively invested in the asset class perceive it as significantly less risky and hold a much more optimistic outlook than their non-investing colleagues and beginner investors. The findings suggest that hands-on experience and access to credible intelligence are forging a new wave of conviction within the financial industry, paving the way for greater institutional adoption.

The inaugural Crypto Intelligence Report, published today by the Swiss-based firm Sandmark, surveyed over 5,000 finance professionals and crypto investors across eight major economies, including the US, UK, Singapore, and Brazil. Conducted in partnership with the global audience insights platform GWI, the report deliberately shifts the focus from general retail sentiment to the perspectives of financially literate individuals who work with risk and capital daily.

"Most crypto research focuses on retail sentiment. We wanted to understand how finance professionals... actually perceive and engage with crypto," said Michelle Fotopoulou, Chief Marketing Officer at Sandmark, in a statement accompanying the release. "What we found challenges a number of assumptions."

The Experience Gap: De-risking Crypto Through Conviction

The report's most striking finding is the dramatic divergence in risk perception based on experience. While 25% of the broader finance professional community describe cryptocurrency as a high-risk asset, that figure plummets to just one in ten among finance professionals who personally own digital assets. This suggests that direct engagement fundamentally alters how the asset class is contextualized.

This confidence is not just about risk tolerance but also about future outlook. An overwhelming 96% of professional investors expressed optimism about crypto's future as an asset. This stands in stark contrast to the mere 39% of beginner investors who share that sentiment. The data consistently illustrates a confidence curve that rises with active participation, peaking among institutional investors and long-term holders.

According to the report, 38% of finance professionals who hold crypto view it primarily as a growth opportunity with strong upside potential, treating it as a long-term strategic asset rather than a vehicle for short-term trades. This perspective aligns with a maturing market view, where volatility is seen as a characteristic to be managed rather than a prohibitive flaw. The data strongly supports the conclusion that hands-on experience, when supported by reliable market intelligence, is the primary driver in building genuine conviction and moving beyond surface-level narratives.

Regulation: The Great Institutional On-Ramp

While personal experience is building confidence among individual professionals, the report clearly identifies the primary roadblock to broader institutional participation: regulation. A significant 42% of finance professionals cited regulatory uncertainty as the main barrier preventing their firms from deeper involvement in the crypto space. Concerns over market volatility and governance followed, but the lack of clear rules of the road remains the most significant hurdle.

However, the report frames this challenge not as a permanent stop sign, but as a gateway. Far from being a threat, clear and robust regulation is viewed as a powerful recruitment tool for the digital asset ecosystem. Fotopoulou noted that strong regulation acts as a "catalyst for engagement," observing that as jurisdictions implement clearer protections and frameworks, market activity accelerates.

This sentiment is echoed across the survey's respondent groups, who widely expect the market's next significant growth phase to be led by institutions. As regulatory clarity improves globally, the floodgates for institutional capital could open, transforming cryptocurrency from a fringe alternative to an integrated component of the global financial system. The low current utility for payments, cited by only 8% of respondents as a reason to hold crypto, further underscores that the current institutional interest is overwhelmingly focused on its potential as a strategic asset, an interest that clear regulation would unlock.

Navigating the Noise: The Double-Edged Sword of Influence

Even as the market matures and the demand for data grows, the crypto space remains uniquely susceptible to the influence of high-profile public figures. The Sandmark report delves into this dynamic, revealing how individuals can simultaneously fuel enthusiasm and undermine trust.

Among a pre-defined list of public figures, Elon Musk was identified as the strongest positive influence on sentiment, cited by 51% of respondents. Tellingly, among crypto holders who named Musk as their top positive influence, 77% reported high optimism toward the future of crypto as an asset. This highlights the powerful role such figures play in driving market enthusiasm.

Conversely, the report found that former U.S. President Donald Trump generated the most negative sentiment at 38%. In a reflection of the divisive nature of such influence, he also ranked as the second most-cited positive influence, at 17%. This illustrates the complex and often contradictory impact that personalities can have on investor confidence, capable of both amplifying excitement and sowing distrust within the same market.

This reliance on external personalities underscores a market in transition. As Fotopoulou concluded, "While social media drives discovery, real market data is in higher demand." The findings suggest a growing appetite among serious investors for consistent, actionable market intelligence to navigate the evolving crypto ecosystem. For these professionals, the path to conviction is paved not with tweets, but with credible data and a clear understanding of the underlying market dynamics.