75% of crypto investors in India are under 35:But 46+ aged people take higher risks; UP has more investors than Delhi

The landscape of cryptocurrency investment in India is changing rapidly. According to a recent study by crypto exchange CoinSwitch, three out of four crypto investors in India (75%) are under the age of 35, highlighting a massive surge of interest among the country’s youth. During the April-June quarter, investors aged 26 to 35 made up the largest chunk of the market at 50.5%. Meanwhile, the youngest group (18-25 years) led the way in terms of new sign-ups. Interestingly, the youngest investors are not the biggest risk-takers. The report reveals that young investors preferred to sell and book profits rather than hold, while investors aged 46 and above emerged as the most resilient, holding onto their assets through market ups and downs. “Indian investors are adopting a highly calculated strategy when it comes to crypto,” said Ashish Singhal, Co-founder of CoinSwitch. “They do not hesitate to sell their assets at the right time to secure profits or limit losses.” Youth Lead New Sign-ups, Seniors Hold Tight While young adults are rushing to register, older age groups still hold a significant portion of the overall market. Older Investors Have More Diverse Portfolios The study shows that as investors grow older, they tend to diversify their portfolios to manage risk better: 18–25 Age Group: 59.2% of these investors hold just one cryptocurrency. 36–45 Age Group: Only 36.3% hold just one cryptocurrency. Notably, this group has the highest percentage of diversified investors, with 9.1% holding 10 or more different cryptocurrencies. Late-Night Trading and Weekly Patterns Indian crypto traders prefer to trade late at night. Peak Hours: The most active trading hour in India is between 10:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Quiet Hours: The lowest trading activity occurs in the early morning, between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM. Weekly Trends: Thursday is the busiest day of the week for trading, while Sunday is the quietest. State-wise Trends: Uttar Pradesh Beats Maharashtra; Women Lead in Andhra In a major shift, Uttar Pradesh (UP) has surpassed Maharashtra to become India’s largest cryptocurrency market. UP now accounts for nearly double the market share of New Delhi. Key Regional Highlights: Andhra Pradesh’s Female Wave: In Andhra Pradesh, women are leading the crypto movement, making up 59.3% of all crypto investors in the state—surpassing male investors. Coin Preferences: Bitcoin (BTC) and Dogecoin (DOGE) remain the most popular assets across India. While Bitcoin is the top choice in 9 out of the top 10 states, Andhra Pradesh is the sole exception, where Dogecoin is the most popular asset. Favorite Pairs: Popular asset combinations include Bitcoin + Shiba Inu, Dogecoin + Shiba Inu, and Bitcoin + Ethereum. High Risk, High Reward: Crypto vs. Traditional Assets While Bitcoin has historically delivered massive returns over the long term compared to traditional assets, it comes with extreme volatility. Over a 10-year period, a study by CoinGecko shows Bitcoin outperformed both the SP 500 and Gold (partly due to starting from a very low price base). In comparison, India’s traditional markets have shown steady, long-term growth: Nifty 50: Delivered an average annual return of 12.44% (including dividends) over the last 20 years. Sensex: Delivered an average annual return of 13.6% over the last 40 years. Bitcoin’s Recent Dip: Highlighting its volatile nature, Bitcoin prices crashed by approximately 46% between August 2025 and August 2026. How Risky is Bitcoin? According to research by BlackRock’s ‘iShares’ and Investing.com: Bitcoin is 3.6 times more volatile than Gold and 5.1 times more volatile than global equities. Bitcoin’s annual volatility ranges between 70% to 80%, compared to Gold’s stable volatility of just 15% to 20%.