Institutions Drive Nearly Three-Quarters of Crypto Trading Volume in 2026

Institutional investors now account for close to three-quarters of crypto trading volumes, according to a report from crypto market maker Wintermute cited by BitKE.

The report found that institutional traders made up a record 72% of total crypto trading volume in the second quarter of 2026, an increase from 68% in the first quarter. The rise coincides with continued expansion by hedge funds, asset managers, proprietary trading firms and banks into digital assets via regulated products and trading infrastructure.

Wintermute said the growing dominance of professional investors has changed market behaviour, with bitcoin and ether showing smaller price swings despite ongoing macro-economic uncertainty and geopolitical tension. The report distinguished institutional participants, who trade with risk limits and defined mandates, from retail traders it described as momentum- and sentiment-driven. According to the report, institutions are now the main drivers of liquidity across digital asset markets, creating deeper and more efficient markets while reducing the volatility that historically characterised the sector.