Asia's Rich Pause Crypto Buying as Gold Demand Surges

The wealthy in Asia are pausing their crypto buying spree and redirecting funds towards traditional safe havens, according to a new survey from HSBC.

The survey found that high-net-worth clients in Malaysia and Singapore are still holding onto crypto assets but investing new money in gold, bank deposits, or alternative investments.

This shift is reflected in the market data, with cryptocurrency investment funds suffering their highest outflows of 2026 at $4.21 billion over three weeks.

The World Gold Council reported that gold demand reached a record 1,231 tonnes in Q1 2026, valued at $193 billion, while central banks purchased an additional 244 tons of gold.