UBS: High-Net-Worth Investors Are Fleeing the Dollar for Crypto and Gold

Key Takeaways

• Institutional investors are pulling back from dollar-based assets amid global trade tensions.
• Asian wealth managers are turning to crypto, gold, and Chinese equities for diversification.
• As the U.S.–China trade war cools, crypto is regaining traction as an investment option.

A subtle but powerful shift is unfolding across Asia’s wealth management sector.

As global markets recover from months of turbulence, fueled by tariff wars, inflation fears, and volatile central bank policy, many of the region’s high-net-worth individuals are rethinking their reliance on the U.S. dollar.

Instead of clinging to traditional dollar-based investments, they’re diversifying into crypto, gold, and Chinese equities, assets increasingly seen as more aligned with future growth and resilience.

Trade War and Tariffs Made US Investments Less Lucrative

For months, the U.S. and China had been locked in a tit-for-tat tariff war that triggered a wider pullback in global equities.

At one point, the U.S. slapped a 145% tariff on Chinese imports, prompting a 120% retaliation from Beijing. That economic uncertainty sent investors scrambling for safer stores of value, especially gold.

Now that both sides have scaled back tariffs, down to 30% and 10% respectively, market conditions have improved. But for many Asian investors, the episode reinforced the importance of diversification beyond U.S.-centric assets.

Amy Lo, Co-Head of Wealth Management for Asia at UBS Group, in a recent interview , noted that clients are actively reallocating funds into crypto and commodities, viewing them as safer, inflation-resistant hedges in today’s uncertain landscape.

Crypto Is Back in Favor

Bitcoin (BTC) is trading just below its all-time high, and altcoins are steadily recovering.

With the asset class maturing and regulatory clarity improving, especially in Asian markets like Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan, digital assets are no longer viewed as fringe bets.

UBS says its clients now see Bitcoin and gold as core components of a diversified strategy.

The trend also aligns with rising institutional support for crypto under the current U.S. administration, which has embraced more market-friendly policies for the industry.

Asian investors, long among the earliest adopters, appear to be doubling down—not just on crypto, but on a future less tied to the U.S. dollar.