Germany Surpasses UK as EU's Crypto Adoption Leader

Germany has surpassed the UK in cryptocurrency adoption within the European Union, driven by institutional enthusiasm and regulatory clarity. According to CoinShares crypto researcher Luke Nolan, the country's wealth managers and youth are key factors contributing to this trend.

The numbers paint a stark picture: Germany now boasts 89 authorized crypto-asset service providers, accounting for 25.5% of the entire European Securities and Markets Authority register under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework. This represents a quarter of the EU's licensed crypto infrastructure sitting in a single country.

The wealth management factor is playing a significant role in Germany's adoption. Family offices and wealth managers are increasingly steering inherited wealth into digital assets, with Deutsche Bank expected to receive regulatory approval for crypto custody services by October 2026. This would make one of Europe's largest banks a direct on-ramp for institutional crypto exposure.

In contrast, the UK's management gap is evident in a June 2026 survey commissioned by CoinShares, which found that 52% of UK financial advisers were unaware of more than half of their clients' digital asset holdings. This figure sits at 25% across Europe, highlighting the need for improved knowledge and engagement among wealth managers.