One in five Australian adults now holds digital assets. That’s roughly 3.9 million people—and rising again after the 2024 shake-out. (Swyftx - Cheap, Easy, Secure)

Zoom out, and almost a third of the country (31%) has owned crypto at some point. Ownership skews young: more than half (52.9%) of 25–34-year-olds already own or have owned digital assets, and participation is strong among Gen Z and Millennials.

Now the money: the average Australian crypto portfolio is A$21,426 among holders. Apply that to today’s, circa 3.9 million current holders, and you get a back-of-the-envelope A$84 billion sitting in Australian wallets and exchanges (3,900,000 x $21,426 = $83,561,400,000). That’s a spicy meatball! That’s larger than many listed companies—yet most families have no plan to protect or pass it on.

The estate-planning gap (and why it’s urgent)

Start with the basics: around 60% of eligible Australians don’t have a Will at all. If there’s no Will, there’s no clean line of succession, and crypto adds an extra layer of complexity (keys, wallets, 2FA, exchanges). (Willed, finder.com.au)

Even among people who do have Wills, crypto is mostly missing. Yes, the inclusion of cryptocurrency in Australian wills doubled in 2024 and is up 2,400% over four years, but that growth is from a tiny base. Average amounts recorded when it is included: A$20,300, and practitioners warn of “billions” in unclaimed digital assets because access details aren’t passed on. Translation: families lose inheritances not because the asset isn’t legally theirs, but because they can’t unlock it. (News.com.au)

Who’s at risk?

• Young providers: The 25–34 cohort leads adoption; many are starting families while holding self-custodied assets. A lost seed phrase equals a lost legacy.

• DIY investors: Average balances are now five-figure. Without documented access instructions, executors can’t retrieve assets—even if the will says who should get them.

• Everyone waiting for “later”: A majority still have no Will; fewer still have digital-asset clauses, password escrow, or beneficiary instructions. (Willed, finder.com.au)

The bottom line

Australia quietly holds about A$84 billion in digital assets—owned disproportionately by parents in their prime earning years—yet most households have no practical plan to secure or transfer that wealth. When providers ignore this, kids and partners pay the price in probate delays, disputes, and—uniquely with crypto—irrecoverable losses.

What to do next (and why now)

Empowered Provider’s Bitcoin Incubator is a fast, practical path for Aussie families who want to acquire, secure, and pass on digital assets the right way. Across five weeks, you’ll:

• Set up robust, family-ready custody (multi-layer backups, beneficiary access plans).

• Map estate-planning essentials for digital assets (what belongs in the Will, what belongs in sealed instructions, what your executor needs on day one).

• Build a repeatable savings-into-Bitcoin system you can operate calmly through cycles—without risking your family’s safety net.

If you already hold crypto, treat this like insuring A$21k on average (or much more). If you’re just starting, begin with a structure that protects your family from day one.

Book your complimentary 30-minute Prosperity Call to join the next intake of the Bitcoin Incubator. Your future self—and your heirs—will thank you.

Sources

• Swyftx Australian Crypto Survey 2024: 20% currently hold (~3.9m Australians), Gen Z/Millennial ownership rates. (Swyftx - Cheap, Easy, Secure)

• Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index 2025: 31% have owned; 25–34 ownership 52.9%.

• Finder Consumer Cryptocurrency Report 2024: Average portfolio A$21,426 among holders.

• Wills prevalence in Australia: ~60% without a will (ALRC-cited snapshot and Finder survey). (Willed, finder.com.au)

• Safewill data: Crypto in wills doubled in 2024; 2,400% growth over 4 years; average A$20,300 per will containing crypto; warnings of billions in unclaimed digital assets. (News.com.au)

Note on the A$84b estimate: it multiplies current holders (~3.9m) by the average portfolio size (A$21,426). It’s an indicative guide, not an audited total, but it highlights the scale of Australian families’ exposure. (Swyftx - Cheap, Easy, Secure)