UK crypto investors are more focused on long-term wealththan short-term gains, according to research from trading platform IG.Digitalassets meet tradfi in London at the fmls25The survey of over 500 crypto holders in the UK found that51 percent invest to build wealth over time, while 27 percent are motivated byshort-term returns. Around a third said they invest for retirement and 18percent said they are saving for a house.Young Crypto Investors Focus on RetirementAmong younger investors aged 18 to 24, 39 percent citedretirement as a reason for investing and 28 percent mentioned saving for ahouse. Only 22 percent said short-term gains are their main motivation.The research also shows a cautious approach to risk.Respondents were more likely to describe themselves as cautious, seeking toavoid losses, than willing to accept large risks for high returns, 35 percentcompared with 7 percent.Crypto Matures, Institutional Participation RisesInvestment strategies reflect this. Nearly half said cryptoforms a small part of a diversified portfolio. One-third said it is asignificant part and six percent invest only in crypto. On average, cryptoaccounts for 23 percent of a portfolio.Chris Beauchamp, Chief Market Analyst at IG, said crypto hasmatured and institutional participation has increased.“Crypto has become part of the financial landscape and acrucial part of portfolios across the globe. No longer the speculative upstartof the financial markets, its place now seems assured,” Beauchamp added.Traditional Finance Expands into Digital AssetsThese patterns among UK investors coincide with widerdevelopments in the crypto market. The SEC’s approval of Ethereum and BitcoinETFs has accelerated institutional participation, while traditionalfinance firms such as BNY Mellon, State Street, and Franklin Templeton expandtheir digital asset offerings. PayPal and Mastercard are exploring on-chain payments.Venture capital funding is increasingly focused on exchanges, trading, custody,liquidity, and digital asset management, while speculative projects receiveless attention. Startups including Securitize and ClearToken are developingregulated platforms. The market is gradually adopting execution, clearing, andsettlement practices similar to traditional finance, supporting risk managementand integration into mainstream portfolios.This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.