New EY report finds investors' confidence wanes as digital assets surge amid unprecedented wealth transfer challenges

• New EY Global Wealth Management report finds half (50%) of investors feel underprepared for the US$80-120 trillion intra/intergenerational wealth transfer
• Nearly half of investors are eager to embrace AI, particularly Millennials and GenX
• Nearly half (45%) believe investment needs have become more complex compared with two years ago 

Half of investor respondents (50%) feel underprepared for the transition of wealth across generations, with 45% of survey respondents stating that planning for wealth transfer is become more challenging, up almost 15% year over year (YoY), the latest 2025 EY Global Wealth Research Report reveals.

The sixth edition of this report, based on sentiment data from nearly 3,600 investors ranging from mass affluent to ultra-high net worth (UHNW) across 30 markets, finds that despite nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents perceiving preparedness for estate transitions to the next generation as very important, only 28% have been adequately engaged by their advisor on wealth transfer issues. Furthermore, although 4 in 5 clients say they are likely to use the same advisor as the grantors of their inheritance, 48% say this is only “somewhat likely.”

Age, demographic and wealth status do not influence how prepared investors feel about wealth transfer, with Boomers no better prepared than younger generations. Similarly, the proportion of clients feeling “somewhat prepared” is consistently between 37% and 39% for mass affluent, HNW, WHNW and UHNW clients alike.

The challenges, in an uncertain and volatile market, have prompted more than half (52%) of respondents to seek additional guidance on their investments, and 44% exercising more control over their portfolio. More than half (57%) of clients indicate their advisor is only somewhat preparing them or not preparing them for political instability risks and 52% of clients indicate their advisor is only somewhat preparing them or not preparing them for market volatility.  

Jun Li, EY Global and Americas Wealth and Asset Management Leader, says: "The 2025 EY Global Wealth Research clearly shows that despite economic headwinds in recent years, wealthy clients are largely satisfied with their wealth management providers. However, it is also evident from the research that clients perceive complexity around their wealth to be increasing, and many feel unprepared for market volatility, geopolitical uncertainty, and also critical areas like wealth transfer. Wealthy clients across demographics and regions are now actively seeking more holistic guidance and advisor interactions. In the current climate, it is not enough to simply satisfy clients anymore. Wealth managers that can expand their scope to bring clients a combination of personalized products, advice and ancillary services will be the ones that can differentiate in a crowded market.”

Favorable environment for digital investments

2024 marked a significant milestone, with the proliferation of digital assets into the mainstream, driven by the authorization and launch of exchange-traded products (ETPs) and supportive regulatory changes, signaling a more favorable environment for digital investments. Looking ahead, (87%) institutional investor respondents anticipate further investments into ETPs and spot cryptocurrencies in 2025, and 84% of respondents are using or showing interest in stablecoins, reflecting growing confidence and the perceived long-term potential of digital assets.

According to the survey, one-third (33%) of respondents now hold digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and tokenized assets. This figure notably rises to 48% among millennials, indicating a generational shift towards embracing digital investments. Use of cryptocurrency trading platforms grew from 11% to 15% (2023 to 2025 respectively).

Despite surging popularity, challenges remain – chiefly, regulatory uncertainty (52%) and volatility (47%) as top concerns for clients.

Data privacy and security fuel AI concerns

The appetite for usage of artificial intelligence (AI) varies as 60% of investors expect their provider to incorporate AI into their offering, with millennials and GenX showing higher expectations (75% and 62% respectively) compared to baby boomers (36%). This is also reflected regionally, with higher expectations in Asia-Pacific (72%) and the Middle East (71%), but lower in North America (48%).

Despite growing familiarity with AI tools, with 28% of respondents trusting AI as much as their advisor, data privacy and security concerns are prevalent, with more than half (51%) expressing doubts about security of personal data and 47% worrying about data misuse.

The lack of human touch is a chief concern for respondents in North America (46%) compared to 35% in Asia-Pacific.

Full findings and further commentary can be found here.   

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Notes to Editors

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About Global Wealth Research Report

The EY organization worked with market research consultancy Savanta to conduct a broad survey of nearly 3,600 wealth management clients in 30 geographies to understand what they value most in their wealth management relationships across service models, engagement choices and value-aligned advice. The survey was open for responses between October 30^th and December 24^th, 2024.

To provide deeper insight, EY went beyond traditional demographic segmentation (age, gender, wealth tier, geography) and incorporated behavioral and psychographic profiling. This included factors such as discretionary management style, perceived shifts in investment complexity, preparedness to meet financial goals, and other key factors.

Geographic coverage: North America including the US and Canada; Latin America including Brazil, Chile and Mexico; EMEA including France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland, and UK; Nordics including Denmark, Norway and Sweden; Middle East including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE; Asia-Pacific including Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore and ASEAN including Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.