Late-night traders, younger investors: India's crypto buzz in 2025

Younger investors continued to dominate activity in the final quarter of the year. On an annual basis, however, the 26-35 age group led, accounting for 45 per cent of all crypto investors

India’s crypto trading activity is increasingly a late-night affair, with investor participation peaking between 10 pm and 11 pm, according to India’s Crypto Portfolio 2025: How India Invests, a report by CoinSwitch. Based on insights from over 25 million users, the report offers a detailed snapshot of the country’s evolving crypto landscape.

 

The year began on a strong note, with January emerging as the most active month for crypto investors. January 19 was the busiest trading day, driven in part by heightened market participation following a Bitcoin upswing earlier that week.  ALSO READ | Beyond metros: How tier-3, tier-4 towns powered India's crypto boom in 2025

 

Young investors dominate as participation widens

Younger investors continued to dominate activity in the final quarter of the year. On an annual basis, however, the 26–35 age group led participation, accounting for 45 per cent of all crypto investors. The 18–25 cohort followed with a 25.3 per cent share, underscoring sustained interest from young Indians entering the crypto market.

 

Participation is also broadening across age groups. Investors aged 36–45 contributed 19.1 per cent of overall activity, while those aged 46 and above accounted for 10.6 per cent, signalling growing adoption beyond younger demographics.  ALSO READ | From Bitcoin to meme coins: How Indian crypto portfolios evolved in 2025

India’s crypto adoption story and what lies ahead

Commenting on the broader trend, Ashish Singhal, co-founder of CoinSwitch, said the global conversation around crypto has shifted. “The world is no longer debating whether crypto matters. The focus is now on how to integrate it responsibly and at scale. Across global markets, digital assets continue to gain strength,” he said.

 

Singhal noted that India stands out amid these global shifts, driven by rising adoption as well as the absence of an enabling policy framework. “India has led the world in retail crypto adoption for the third consecutive year. This is not a spike; it is a structural trend shaped by demographic strength, digital-native behaviour, and rising financial participation. This report, now in its fourth year, captures the investing and trading behaviour of millions of Indian crypto adopters,” he said.

 

He added that India’s advantage extends beyond adoption. “The country has spent the last decade building one of the world’s most powerful Digital Public Infrastructure stacks—Aadhaar for identity, UPI for payments, ONDC for open commerce, and more. Each layer has expanded financial inclusion and lowered the cost of digital participation. Web3 is now emerging as the logical next layer on top of this foundation. A pro-crypto policy stance, like in the United States, can have multiplier effects in the years to come,” said Singhal.

 

Among other findings, women accounted for 12 per cent of the user base in 2025, while men continued to dominate with an 88 per cent share.

 

On the asset front, Bitcoin reclaimed the top spot, accounting for 8.1 per cent of total holdings. Dogecoin slipped to second place at 6.0 per cent after leading last year. Ethereum remained steady in third position with 5.2 per cent, while Shiba Inu held firm at 4.5 per cent, highlighting the continued popularity of meme coins.

 

Geographically, Uttar Pradesh led the country with 13 per cent of the total invested value, reflecting its emergence as a significant digital asset market. Maharashtra followed closely at 12.1 per cent, reaffirming its status as a key hub for financial and digital innovation.