Family Offices Prioritize Traditional Investments: Low Adoption of Emerging Assets

According to the latest sector analysis, high-net-worth families maintain an extremely conservative stance toward new asset categories. The JPMorgan Private Bank Global Family Office Report 2026 reveals that approximately 9 out of 10 family offices lack exposure to digital assets, reflecting a significant disconnect from global market trends.

Most Family Offices Without Digital Asset Exposure

The most notable data point is clear: 89% of family offices have no holdings in digital assets. This figure suggests that, despite the growing importance of these instruments in institutional portfolios, family wealth managers are deliberately excluding them. According to data from NS3.AI, this absence is not accidental but the result of strategic decisions based on perceptions of volatility and systemic risk.

Caution Toward Gold and Alternative Investments

Beyond digital assets, family offices also show resistance to other alternative categories. Capital allocation toward gold remains limited, while emerging investments such as artificial intelligence face particularly skeptical evaluation. Many families prefer to focus on private equity opportunities, where personal connections and direct relationships facilitate a more controlled risk assessment.

Why Are These Assets Avoided?

Family offices categorize emerging assets as non-essential exposures or even potential threats to accumulated wealth. This perspective reflects a more conservative philosophy, where capital preservation outweighs the pursuit of maximum profitability. The preference for investments close to the family circle and familiar assets supports a long-term strategy centered on stability and control, leaving aside innovations that require higher levels of sophistication or involve limited knowledge of the underlying market.