New research commissioned by OKX Australia suggests digital assets may be influencing Australia’s self-managed super sector – as record numbers of Australians establish their own retirement vehicles to access an asset class the managed fund industry has largely ignored
Sydney, 5 May 2026: Australia’s self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) sector recorded its strongest ever annual growth in 2024–25, with 33,224 net new funds established - a 91% increase on the prior year.
New research released today by OKX Australia, Voting with Their Super; Digital assets, SMSFs and the structural transformation of Australian retirement savings, based on a survey of 808 investors conducted by CoreData, suggests that digital assets are a significant factor in this acceleration, not a marginal footnote to it.
"Australians under 45 now account for 45% of all new SMSF creation over the past five years, despite making up just 15% of the existing trustee population. Among those bringing digital assets into their fund, 46% of trustees with cryptocurrency in their SMSF say the ability to invest in digital assets was a key driver in establishing the fund."
The figures point to a clear investor preference for asset access and control. APRA-regulated super funds currently offer limited or no meaningful pathway to digital asset exposure. A growing cohort of Australians appears to be establishing their own structure to access it within the superannuation framework.
Digital assets now account for $3.2 billion in SMSF holdings - up from $240 million four years ago. The number of SMSFs holding digital assets has grown by 333% over five years, making it the fastest-growing asset class tracked by the ATO within the SMSF system.
Two cohorts, one direction
The research identifies two distinct groups driving SMSF growth. The first: established investors with significant balances who want greater control over how their retirement savings are invested. The second: a younger cohort with specific conviction in digital assets who have limited direct pathways to them through traditional funds.
Kate Cooper, Chief Executive Officer of OKX Australia, said:
"Australians are voting with their super and they’re not waiting for managed funds to catch up - they’re establishing their own structures to access the asset classes they have conviction in. The data suggests this is a structural shift, not just a cycle. SMSF growth reached its highest level on record in 2024-25, under-45s are its fastest-growing cohort, and digital assets appear to be an important catalyst. The financial services industry is largely watching from the sidelines.”
Significant allocations, not marginal positions
Among SMSFs holding digital assets, 47% allocate more than half the entire fund to this asset class. 28% allocate more than 90%. The median allocation of $80,966 exceeds the median allocation to overseas shares and unlisted equities. These are allocations that reflect each trustee’s individual assessment of the role digital assets play within their broader portfolio strategy - ones that carry both significant weight and meaningful concentration risk.
Key findings from the research include:
- 46% of trustees with crypto in their SMSF say the ability to invest in digital assets was a key driver in establishing their fund
- Over a third of crypto-holding trustees established their SMSF after their first digital asset purchase with one in five doing so in the same year
- 80% of SMSF trustees under 40 who don’t currently hold digital assets say they would consider doing so
- Among SMSF trustees under 40, 66% trust digital assets as an investment, compared to 36% of those aged 40 and over
- Australians under 50 are set to receive approximately $2.3 trillion through intergenerational wealth transfer by 2040, a generation likely to place greater value on digital asset access and broader investment choice in retirement structures
The compliance and advice gap
The growth of digital assets in SMSFs is running ahead of the infrastructure needed to support it. 46% of crypto-SMSF trustees report difficulty meeting ATO compliance requirements. Only one in ten financial advisers currently have digital assets on their Approved Product List, meaning advisers are present in SMSF relationships but formally unable to guide clients on the asset class they are most actively acquiring.
The research found an association between adviser involvement and stronger reported outcomes: advised trustees holding digital assets reported a confidence score of 6.0 out of 7.0 versus 5.3 for unadvised peers, and a median return of 25% compared to 20%. A quarter of trustees currently unlikely to invest in digital assets say an adviser recommendation would change their mind.
Cooper added:
“The data suggests that advice may make a real difference to outcomes for trustees holding digital assets. But fewer than one in ten advisers can formally address this asset class with their clients.
That’s a structural gap the industry needs to close – both for the sake of trustees navigating a complex asset class, and for the advice profession’s relevance to a fast-growing segment of the SMSF market.”
Looking ahead: tokenisation and the next wave
The research identifies tokenisation of real-world assets as a potential next phase in self-directed retirement. As blockchain-native ownership infrastructure extends to real estate, private credit, and infrastructure assets, the flexibility of the SMSF structure may become an advantage for some trustees over managed fund alternatives - and the underlying preference for investment autonomy may intensify.
The full report, Voting with Their Super: Digital assets, SMSFs and the structural transformation of Australian retirement savings, is available here.
About us:
About the research
Commissioned by OKX Australia and conducted by CoreData Research, the study surveyed 808 Australian investors between November 2025 and January 2026, supplemented by 12 in-depth trustee interviews and ATO data. The sample comprised SMSF trustees with and without cryptocurrency, and cryptocurrency investors without SMSFs. Total research participants: 820.
About OKX
OKX is a fintech company on a mission to modernize money and markets. Today it is trusted by more than 120 million people around the world who use OKX services to invest, transact and trade digital assets across a number of financial instruments including spot, futures, and decentralised markets. OKX Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 636 269 040) is a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR No. 1318306) of Openmarkets Australia Limited (AFSL No. 246705) for general advice on superannuation only.
Cryptocurrency trading is high risk. Consider the relevant T&Cs at OKX.com. Information provided is general and not advice, solicitation, an offer or recommendation. Seek independent advice about risks before trading. OKX Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 636 269 040) is a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR No. 1318306) of Openmarkets Australia Limited (AFSL No. 246705) for general advice on superannuation only.
