Crypto Market Maturity: Evaluating Progress

Crypto's Role in Modern Portfolios Gains Traction

The debate around cryptocurrency's place in modern portfolios has resurfaced with renewed vigor as digital assets regain momentum globally. At the Moneycontrol Global Wealth Summit 2026, industry leaders from CoinSwitch, Mudrex, Blue Aster Capital, and Giottus Cryptocurrency Exchange weighed in on whether crypto is entering a more mature phase, driven by increasing institutional interest, evolving infrastructure, and growing investor awareness.

Regulatory clarity emerged as a recurring theme throughout the discussion. Sidharth Sogani, founder and CEO of Blue Aster Capital, emphasized that a clear regulatory framework is essential for mainstream adoption. Sogani noted that institutional capital cannot meaningfully enter the sector without a well-defined regulatory environment. Professional funds, he added, require fully licensed exchanges and custodians to trade.

The United States has already seen significant developments in institutional participation, helping to normalize crypto within mainstream finance. Three years ago, custodians were not dealing in crypto, but now larger custodians like Morgan Stanley and JP Morgan have started dealing in crypto, significantly increasing institutional entry into crypto.

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Volatility remains a defining characteristic of the asset class, despite expanding participation. Vimal Sagar Tiwari, co-founder of CoinSwitch, emphasized that crypto's price swings must be viewed in the context of broader global turbulence. Tiwari pointed out that fluctuations are also affecting traditional markets such as equities, currencies, and even gold.

Investor activity continues to evolve, with long-term investing behavior emerging among wealthier investors. Edul Patel, founder and CEO of Mudrex, noted that institutions and high net worth individuals are coming back, and the SIP trend continues, with most investing happening in Bitcoin and some in Ethereum. Patel also observed that many investors are averaging down during market dips.

Scaling participation will depend on regulatory confidence, particularly for large pools of capital. Vikram Subburaj, CEO and co-founder of Giottus Cryptocurrency Exchange, noted that while family offices and HNIs are already participating, broader institutional inflows require policy backing. Subburaj emphasized the need for regulatory support to bring larger funds into the space and increase liquidity.

For investors, the message is clear: crypto may still be volatile, but the combination of institutional interest, technological innovation, and regulatory evolution is steadily bringing digital assets closer to the financial mainstream.

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