Crypto holdings reported in Australian Self-Managed Super Funds have dropped by approximately 4% year-on-year despite a crypto market rally, according to the Australian Taxation Office.
The data, which has been adjusted for consistent valuation, shows that in June 2025, SMSF crypto holdings were at 3.02 billion Australian dollars ($1.97 billion), approximately $100 million Australian dollars less than the reported $3.12 billion in June 2024, as per the ATO report published on Wednesday.
The fall came despite Bitcoin (BTC) price increasing approximately 60% over the same period, while the overall Asia-Pacific region bolstered its status as the “global hub of grassroots crypto activity,” according to a recent report from Chainalysis.
However, Australian crypto exchange Coinstash’s head of SMSF strategy, Simon Ho, told Cointelegraph that the “number is probably undercooked.”
Spike in crypto interest over two years is “significant,” says exec
Ho explained that “the June 2025 data that you see is not reflective of actuals because it’s based on June 30, 2025, tax return filings, which aren’t due until May 2026.”
June 2025’s crypto holding figures are approximately 41% higher than those of June 2023, the same year the Australian government signaled further focus on regulatory clarity for the crypto industry by releasing the token mapping consultation paper.
Bitcoin is up 94.22% over the past 12 months. Source: CoinMarketCap
Ho said it was the difference between these two years that was “significant from the data released yesterday.”
A Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) allows members to manage their retirement savings, rather than contributing to a pooled superannuation fund. Australians can generally access their SMSF once they retire and have reached at least 60 years of age.
Crypto exchanges prepare for a flood of retirement savers
SMSFs are 96.7% dominated by members over 35 years old. The largest share is in the 75 – 84 year old age bracket, which accounts for 13.7%.
SMSF members aged over 35 account for 96.7% of all members. Source: ATO
Recent data from Australian crypto exchange Independent Reserve shows that over 50% of young Australians aged between 25 and 34 own crypto (53%), making them the largest demographic of crypto holders.
This suggests that the SMSF data could change significantly in the coming years, depending on how younger Australians approach retirement planning.
Meanwhile, Australian crypto exchanges are already preparing for further adoption.
On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Coinbase and OKX are introducing services for SMSFs in Australia.
The industry has been calling upon the newly reelected Labor government to urgently make digital asset legislation a top priority to ensure Australia doesn’t fall further behind global markets.
Crypto retirement gains traction globally
Globally, more people are becoming receptive to investing in crypto as part of their retirement planning.
Related: Bitcoin bulls ‘still in control’ as BTC price passes $112K — Analysis
A survey of 2,000 UK adults by insurance company Aviva, published on Aug. 26, found that 27% were open to holding crypto in their retirement funds, with just over 40% citing higher potential returns as their motivation.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in the same month permitting US 401(k) retirement plans to include Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
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