Retail Investors Shift Beyond Crypto: 52% Add Equities, 51% Turn to AI Tools

Retail participation in financial markets is entering a new phase. According to Bitget's latest report, based on platform trading data and responses from over 6,000 users worldwide, investors are no longer limiting themselves to cryptocurrencies alone. Instead, they are spreading capital across equities, commodities, and other traditional assets while increasingly relying on artificial intelligence to guide their choices.

Crypto Remains Central but No Longer Exclusive

Crypto continued to drive the majority of trading activity on Bitget during the first quarter of 2026. However, its dominance eased as users branched out. Trading volume in non-crypto assets, particularly gold, rose sharply from near zero at the start of the year to 20-40% of total activity by March.

This marks one of the strongest quarterly increases for traditional assets recorded on the platform. The shift reflects growing comfort with multi-asset trading within single accounts that support stablecoin settlement.

Diversification Accelerates

The report shows clear evidence of portfolio building across asset classes:

Among higher-net-worth users, the push toward diversification stands out even more. These participants recorded solid returns in 2025, with an average of 13% across the user base and select VIP traders achieving 51-100% gains. Looking ahead, 74% of high-value users plan to expand holdings across crypto, equities, and commodities to better manage risk.

AI Tools Gain Mainstream Traction

More than half of surveyed users — 51% — now incorporate AI into their decision-making process. Traders use these tools to process earnings reports, track macroeconomic developments, monitor commodity prices, and analyze on-chain signals across different markets.

Bitget's own AI offerings, such as GetAgent, GetClaw, and Agent Hub, have seen increased usage as platforms work to deliver practical assistance for multi-asset strategies. This development aligns with broader industry moves toward agentic AI systems that can act more autonomously in trading environments.

Market forecasts point to significant expansion in this area. The agentic AI sector, which enables systems to monitor conditions, make decisions, and execute actions, is projected to grow from $7.29 billion in 2025 to $139 billion by 2034.

Regional Patterns Reflect Local Conditions

User behavior varies by geography. In East Asia, many cite avoidance of currency conversion and traditional banking hurdles as reasons for preferring USDT-based settlement. Southeast Asian users value leverage access, while Latin American participants emphasize diversification to protect against inflation and currency risks. In that region, 78% pointed to these factors as primary motivations for holding both crypto and traditional assets.

Demand for Universal Trading Platforms

The report highlights strong preference for integrated solutions. 71% of users ranked USDT settlement as a top feature, while 65% valued the ability to switch quickly between crypto, equities, forex, and commodities within one account.

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen noted that retail traders are becoming more aware of broader economic signals. Users now move capital based on liquidity, volatility, and access across global markets, expecting platforms to support efficient multi-asset activity with transparent operations.

As these trends continue, the line between crypto-native trading and traditional finance appears set to blur further. Retail investors are treating digital assets as one component within larger, more sophisticated portfolios supported by modern analytical tools.